The Future Guild
by kurisu313
Summary: About twenty years from now, Gabriel Scarlett, the son of Erza and Jerral is looking for what to do next in his life. He doesn't want to join Fairy Tail, but will a few meetings with some legendary names change his mind?
1. The Knight Clad in Scarlet

**The Future Guild**

**Chapter 1**

**The Knight Clad in Scarlet**

My name is Gabriel.

What? You wanted more of a description? Well, I'm a sixteen year old boy and a mage. A damn powerful one in my opinion. I'm a physical fighter who uses body reinforcement magic to increase my strength and speed and I can also requip my weapon. Not my clothes though, I couldn't ever master that one and had a habit of just ending up naked…

Never mind! My height is pretty average for my age and I've got a few muscles, but I'm growing, okay? Don't judge me too badly. My eyes are weird, though. They're purple, though I have no idea why, since my parents don't have them… anyone here a genetics expert? My hair though, is easier, since it's pure red. I got that from my mother.

I wear a shoulder pad on my right side, styled like a lion, because lions are cool. With my spiky red hair, I think the identity I want to craft for myself will be lion-based. Gabriel the Lion-Heart. Yeah, that'd be cool. Stop judging me!

Now, if you don't mind, can you wait? I'm a little busy. Because there's a giant-ass Minotaur coming right at me! It's a pretty tall thing, about twice my height and it's wielding a huge lump of metal that looks vaguely like a club – maybe it hammered it into shape? They're not a species known for their intelligence or craftsmanship.

I'm using my photon spear. It's my favourite weapon, since I like things I can wield two-handed. Its head glows with a golden light and I slice upwards as the club descends. I'd meant to cut the weapon in two, but the weapon was denser than I anticipated and my spear sticks. The Minotaur's momentum wrests the weapon from my grasp and I only just leap back in time to avoid the blow.

Shit. Did you have to be watching now?

I can't requip unless I have my weapon, so I'm weaponless. No problem. I slam my palms together and drop into a crouching position, casting Meteor, a spell that massively increases my speed. So much so that I have limited flying ability. Bouncing off the trees around us, I move quickly in circles around the slow-witted brute, confusing it. Having done so, I rain a few punches and kicks into it, but it's a tough bastard and they do little more than stagger it.

I land on his club and try to grab my spear. I manage to pry it loose, but the beast swings its club and hurls me across the clearing and into a tree. That hurt like hell, but I'm no pussy! Well… I've convinced my mum to stop buying the plasters with cartoon faces on them, anyway. Before I can get back up, though, the Minotaur looks away from me. Suddenly, he looks really, really scared and runs away.

A woman is striding into the clearing, long red hair flowing down her armoured torso.

"You pansy!" I shout after him. "You think she scares you!? She's my mom!" Oh god damn it, did I just shout that out loud? Well, I've never been the brightest kid. My mum looks really angry, stomping over to where I am and hauling me to my feet. Don't tell her this, but she's one impressive lady, even at the age of forty five. I can't bring myself to blame the Minotaur too much.

Erza Scarlett. One of the strongest wizards in the world, and would-be Wizard Saint if she hadn't turned the position down. All for my dad. See, my dad, Jerral Fernandez, is a known criminal. Now, the council has a certain 'understanding' and don't chase him anymore, but my mom decided to retire to the countryside to have some solitude from prying eyes. It's a reason why I have my mother's surname rather than my father's.

"Gabriel!"

Oh shit. I'll return to my exposition after this lecture, okay?

**===][===**

Okay. Hi there. I've skipped the painful part for you. We're back at our house now, a medium-sized cottage in small village known as New Rosemary. I'm not really sure what happened to Old Rosemary, my mum doesn't like to talk about it.

Anyway, I've got a lump the size of an orange on my head now. Don't backchat my mom, okay? She's not someone to argue with. The point is, she's angry with me for going to fight the Minotaur by myself. I pointed out that she did far more dangerous stuff at my age and she didn't like that.

"The boy's got a point," my dad said, sitting down at our dining room table. "He's growing up and this little village doesn't have enough to excite him. Maybe it's time."

"I don't wanna go!" I shout, annoyed. I've heard all the time about this blasted 'guild' of theirs. Why on Earthland would I want to go that place? Mum and dad are always going on about 'nakama' and 'friends', but they're dumb things if you ask me. I've never needed any friends.

"If there's one thing I regret, we live in a place with such a small population that Gabriel never had any friends his age," mum says, talking to dad as if I'm not there. She does that a lot. "He has a lot to learn about the power of bonds."

Of course, my parents visit that place… Fairy Tail, but you knew that, right? They visited it a lot over the years. But I never paid much attention. There are too many people there and most of them seemed like idiots. There's always this pink-haired fool who tries to fight my mum. He's not won once. I don't like crowds and so much noise. I've never bothered to learn anyone's name there.

"Listen! That place might have been great for you guys, but I hate it!"

My mother smiled. "But, if you went there, you'd find a job board with a hundred different adventures on it. Places to go, things to see, monsters to fight. Wouldn't you like that?"

Adventures? That did sound cool…

"But you just hit me for fighting that Minotaur!"

"I hit you for not listening to your mother!" She snaps angrily. "You could have beaten that beast, but you were sloppy and unfocussed. Your father is right; you do need to see the world and expand your horizons. Gabriel, you are going to have to decide what you want to do with your life. You clearly want to be a mage, and to make money as a mage, you only have a few options."

"I DON'T CARE! I'm not going to that place, and there's nothing you can say to change my mind!"

I expected one of two things. A violent beating or acceptance. Instead, to my surprise, mum takes a piece of paper and begins to scribble something on it. When she hands it to me, I can see that it has a name and an address on it. I don't recognize either, but it is in Magnolia. She writes another letter and pops it into an envelope, placing a magical stamp on it. It won't open except for the intended recipient.

"I think this might change your mind. Here's the deal, Gabriel. I'm giving you a mission. A chance at adventure. I want you to take this letter and deliver it to that man. After that, you are welcome to come home, and we won't speak of this again. If however, you get a taste for adventure and want to join the guild, that's your choice."

I feel a bit suspicious. This clearly seems like a trap, but the deal is fair. Get to see the world a bit and just deliver a letter? Dad seems to like the idea too, and my parents are a straightforward pair…

"Okay, I'll do it!"

**Hi there! Sorry for the short opening chapter. This will be a look at Fairy Tail in about twenty year's time, from the eyes of an outsider. I want to keep OCs to a minimum, as they're not my preference, but a few children will certainly appear. The idea is that every chapter he will meet one of the guild members, all about forty years old now.**

**Gabriel is not supposed to be an asshole, but he is a bit sheltered and away from any friends. However, he had very loving and caring parents, so he's not a bad guy. Overall, I want him to seem like a young Natsu. Adventurous, hard-headed and strong.**

**Anyone who read my GaLe fic 'The Rest of Their Lives' will be somewhat familiar with this universe and my depictions of the characters within. However, I've changed Gabriel a lot. He grew up in the guild in that fic, but here he's joining at the age of sixteen.**


	2. The Saint Forged in Iron

**The Future**

**Chapter 2**

**The Saint Forged in Iron**

It wasn't too far from New Rosemary to Magnolia. A few days for me walking. You could do it in a day if you had a horse or less if you had one of those 'vehicle' things. I'm not a hick! I've seen them, but they weird me out. Except trains. Trains are cool.

I already feel a bit uncomfortable. There are just so many people here! New Rosemary has about fifty people total, so this is awkward for me. I don't know how anyone can stand living here. I look at the address my mum gave me and ask a few people for directions. They all seem a little surprised, but point me in the right direction.

Now, I understand their surprise. I'm standing outside of an enormous whitewashed building. This is a chamber of the magical council! That's a bit like a police station and government building combined into one thing. Why did mum send me here? This can't be the right place! Still, I go in and head up to the reception, a kind looking older woman. I tell her that I've got an envelope to deliver and show her the name.

"Oh my. That must be an important letter indeed to have the Fairy Tail stamp on it. I think you're in luck; he just got out of a meeting." She gave me directions to his office and I leave, belatedly returning to say thank you. I'm young and stupid, but I'm not bad mannered, damn it! When I find the office door, I hesitate for a moment.

"Either knock or come in already," a deep voice growls from inside. How did he know I was here!? I slowly push open the door and inside, a tall man sits at a desk glowering at me like he's planning to kill me. Now, because I'm brave, I'm not scared at all.

"Um…I have… er… a letter… are you…oh god… Gajeel Redfox?"

Okay, maybe I'm a little scared. I mean, have you seen this guy!?

The man looks at me a moment longer, but then leans back into his chair instead of glaring at me like a hawk watches a fat mouse. Geez, he has a lot of piercings, and I mean a lot. He doesn't look like the sort of man to work at the council. He looks like the sort of man who hangs around dark alleys looking for an easy mark.

"You're Erza's brat, aren't you?" He asks laxly.

"I'm her son, yes," I reply, stressing the word 'son'. I'm not a brat! I'm not quite sure how he knows; maybe he saw me at the guild on one of the occasions I visited with my parents in the past and I forgot him (seems unlikely – he has a face to remember) or perhaps he can see the familial resemblance.

"Well, you do smell like her."

Smell? How on Earthland can he smell… oh. About then, I realised that this man was one of the dragon slayers. I've heard a lot about their capabilities. Despite being such an unfair magic, mum still kicked their asses! He was able to either hear or smell me outside his door.

"Stop looking so frightened, brat." He rubs his face. "I've just had a pissing annoying meeting. Goddamn Salamander just went and blew up a fucking embassy on his latest mission, and who's left to clean up the fucking pieces!? Oh…look, this ain't your problem. You said that you got a letter for me?"

Quickly, I give him the letter. He frowns at it, perhaps recognizing the handwriting as mum's. Honestly, I'm not even sure if he looks like he can read, but he devours the letter at a rapid pace. He chuckles softly and his eyes come back up to fix on me.

"So, _Brat, _your mum wants you to join Fairy Tail, but you don't wanna go?"

"That's what the letter was about!?" I cry, shocked

"Gihi. I'm not sure if I'm flattered that she sent you to me first, or insulted that she thinks that I'm the same sort of punk as you."

"I am not a punk!" I shout back. He merely grins in an annoying fashion and stands. He is wearing a dark blue tunic and britches, almost black, over which he wears a sort of ceremonial metal breastplate. From the back of his chair he takes a long white robe, trimmed with fur and hangs it around his shoulders and grabs a long metal pole tipped with a badge of office. Okay, I'll admit that he looked like a fucking badass.

"Walk with me, Brat."

"My name is Gabriel!"

He laughs loudly. "Ask my wife how good I am with names! Now, follow me!" He strides out of his office and I go with him. I don't know why. Partially because refusing his order seemed vaguely like it might have been suicidal. On the other hand, he seems interesting. We go out into the corridors and behind him I saw it. The mark on his robes.

The mark of the Wizard Saints.

"Holy…!?"

"You've finally noticed, Brat?"

"You're one of the ten strongest wizards in the whole world!?"

He laughs again, although a little softer this time. "It's a title, Brat. Nowadays I can admit that I'm not as strong as some others. Your mum and dad could maybe kick my ass. Then again, they've been in retirement, while I'm still training. Tell her to stop by for a spar sometime."

"You… _want _to fight my mom?" I ask, amazed. This man had to be strong indeed! No one messed with mom, no one!

"So Brat, why don't you want to join Fairy Tail?" he asks, changing the subject. I pout, frustrated. This whole mission had been a scam after all. "A strong young lad like yourself should be throwing yourself at the chance to join the strongest guild in the whole world."

"I don't like people," I reply, cutting straight to the core of the problem. "There are too many people here and there. I don't like it."

"Ah. Now I definitely see why Erza would send you to me. People are idiots, right? I mean, they're noisy, smelly dumbasses who just get in your way, right?"

"Right!" I agree, glad to see that he understands my point.

"But then, you find the right people and everything just sort of falls together." I look up. He is still walking ahead of me, so I 'm looking at his back, not his face. "I was once like you – hell, I still am in many ways, but three people helped me change."

"Three?"

"The first – god help you if you tell him – was Salamander. That dumbass showed me humility. He forced me to see that I was not as strong as I thought I was. And because of that, I became a hundred times stronger."

"Uh…"

"The second was Master Makarov. I was throwing my entire life away. I needed help, a hand to pull me out of the darkness. I still go to visit his grave. I owe that old man everything that I have today."

"I'm not like that!" I protest. "I'm not 'throwing myself into darkness', I just don't like big crowds of people and stuff; that's all."

"There's nothing wrong with preferring solitude, Brat. I do myself. But tell me, when you're at home, are you ever forced into being alone?" I thought over the question. The village was small, sure, but I knew everyone there. Mrs Hannah the grocer was a nice old lady and Mr Jennings the butcher was a good guy. Mum and dad were never very far away. No, if I wanted to talk, I could. People didn't turn me away.

"No," I say after a minute.

"So you do have friends and people you trust. You've just never thought about it because it feels natural, right?" At that point a councillor runs up with a document which Gajeel signs after a brief discussion. I watch the man's face with interest; he clearly didn't fear Gajeel despite the reputation. Gajeel begins walking again without me even realising it and I hurry after him.

"You said three."

"Huh?"

"Three people who helped you change. Who was the third?"

"Hmm? Well, maybe two and a half people would be closer than three. And a cat. Two and a half people and a cat. Yeah, that makes more sense than three."

"That makes no sense at all! How can you have half a person!? How can a cat help you change!?"

"Have you ever done something bad and been forgiven for it?" Gajeel asks, clearly ignoring my outburst.

"Yeah. I've done plenty of naughty things and mum has…"

"No, Brat. I mean, have you done something so bad that it was completely and utterly unforgiveable? And yet, you were forgiven by the very person who you'd hurt the most anyway?"

"Uh... no…"

"Good. I suppose that the best people never do that unforgiveable thing. But… it was through that strength of spirit that I learned the importance of bonds, of nakama and friendship. It didn't make me all lovey dovey or anything, but it made me a better person. That's why I married that half a person."

"I-is she like a torso with no legs or something?" I ask, trying to make sense out of his insistence of a half-person. He gives me a look, as if I should be understanding his in-jokes or something, but I don't! We walk to the back entrance of the building onto a large open training ground. Dozens of Rune Knights were training here, and they all stop and salute as they see Gajeel.

"Didn't I tell you idiots not to be so formal!?" Gajeel shouts at the crowd. Despite his seeming anger, the men here seem comfortable and familiar with his attitude. He looks back at me and gestures to a spot on the dirt field, taking up a spot opposite it. Wait, he was asking me for a spar?

The men around all became interested and eager, saying things that suggested that watching Gajeel fight would be a treat. Damn him, but I am the son of Erza Scarlett and Jerral Fernandez! I won't back down! I'm all fired up! I draw my photon spear from my back and drop into a crouching position. Gajeel grins and allows the robe to slip from his back. I try not to fixate too much on those shoulder muscles.

"Gihi, hit me with everything you've got!"

I know how to surprise him. I put my spear into my left hand and pulled my right hand back to punch. I see him look a little confused. After all, how could I punch him from so far away? Titan, that's how. Mum told me it was the same sort of magic her old Master used to use. As I punch, my arm and fist grow massively, crossing the distance and hit him.

As I drew back to inspect the damage, I could see that he hadn't moved so much as a millimetre.

"I told you to hit me, Brat."

"Don't underestimate me!" I activate Meteor and leap into the sky. Despite my speed, his eyes follow me. I activated me spear and slashed dozens of times, the arcs of magical power hurtling towards Gajeel. He moves the staff in his right hand so fast and imperceptibly that I never really see him parry it all.

As I landed, ready to charge again, there was like a wind or something pushing against me. Gajeel was radiating with a dark magic. His hair went on end, his skin turning metallic. Dust and dirt are pushed away from him in waves as shadows flickered around him. How much magic did he have!? Was this a twin-element dragon slayer?

"I-I'm not scared! I am Gabriel Scarlett! Son of Erza Scarlett the TItania and Jerral Fernandez! I am strong!" I don't believe that I sound particularly convincing. I don't convince myself, that's for sure.

"I told you that you need three people to change. Allow me to be the first. The one to teach you humility, and to show you just how weak you really are."

**===][===**

Gajeel sits crossed legged next to me as I sprawl across the dirt. Every cell in my body ached. My face was a mass of bruises. He'd beaten me like a ragdoll.

"Gihi, that was a good workout, Brat! You're definitely your mother's son to last that long."

"T-thanks… I think…"

"Do you hate me?"

"A-a little."

"Good. Brat, there are always people beyond you to look up to. Tch, to this day, I never caught up to Salamander, and doesn't he just fucking know it. But despite that, you know what helped me grow stronger more? It wasn't trying to catch up to those who surpassed me; it was wanting to protect her."

I look up.

"Nakama. Love. Bonds. It's all the same, brat. Now, I don't know what you want from life, but as it is, you're going to stagnate in that little village. You have no one to protect, no one to aspire to. Well, you do, but I'm, betting a kid views his parents differently. If you want to move forward, joining a guild's your best bet."

"God damn it, this has nothing to do with anything!"

"Oh? I disagree. I've only known you for five minutes kid, but I think I understand you better than you understand yourself. 'Course, I had to pass forty years of age before I had any introspection, so I don't blame you. Go to the guild. It won't kill you to try it – and it'll make your mother very happy."

"Yeah…that's true," I admit. I do like the idea of making mum happy, and if I don't like it, I can just leave, right?

"You'll meet your second person there. Someone to offer you the way into the new life you should be living. I'm not sure if that'll be Salamander or the Master, but you'll find them."

"What's the Master like?" I ask.

"Blonde, big boobs, big ass!" Gajeel barks out a laugh. "I joke; you'll like her. She's intelligent and pleasant. Her husband however, is a fucking moron who needs a punch in the face!"

I sit up; trying to ignore the pain he'd caused me. "Fine! I'll go to the damned guild."

"Good boy!" Gajeel says proudly, patting my head. "My wife and kids are there; be sure to say hi to them!"

"Geez, if your wife is anything like you, I'd rather not!" To my surprise, Gajeel begins to laugh so hard that he falls over backwards.

"My wife ain't anything like me! I told you; she's half a person! Ah, but she's the smartest, kindest person in existence, so you should talk to her." Suddenly, Gajeel looks a little scared. "But…my daughter is like me… so be careful."

Gajeel let me rest up for a little while, and one of the council's healers gave me a quick blast of healing magic. I guess injuries were common on the training ground. Anyway, I feel much better. Gajeel comes to see me off at the entrance, and hands me another letter, this one addressed to 'The Guild Master'. As I was leaving, Gajeel called after me.

"Hey brat, one question. Which do you think is cooler; a lion or a giraffe?"

"What sort of dumb question is that!? Lions are way cooler!" I gesture to my shoulder pad – it had a stylized lion head on it, which is why I assume he asked.

Gajeel grins. "I think so too, Gihi! But if you meet my wife, ask her the same question. Her answer and the reasoning for it might interest you." Laughing, he turns away to head back inside, leaving me utterly confused. I tried to forget it. It was about noon now. Checking my pouch for coins, I figure I'll pick up something to eat and then head to the guild.

I can see it in the distance, towering over the city. It fills me with a weird sense of excitement.

Fairy Tail.

I'm on my way!


	3. The Demon Cloaked in Lightning

**The Future**

**Chapter 3**

**The Demon Cloaked in Lightning**

I was not nervous. Not at all. Sure, the guild hall was huge and there were people everywhere, but I wasn't scared, okay!? Damn, but it was even noisy outside. What the hell would it be like inside? I took in a deep breath to bottle up my courage and strode in through the front door.

Damn it, but I didn't like it. The noise and crowd feel like a lot to me. I was used to the quiet countryside where you could hear birds chirping easily. This feels like an oppressive din in comparison, deafening my senses. Honestly, I am going to turn and walk away.

"Ah? Who's this? New meat?"

The voice belongs to a girl about my age. She is kind of pretty, like a hawk is – she looked like she was designed to kill. Between the long raven hair, striking red eyes and nose piercing, it didn't take too much of a leap to assume that this was Gajeel's daughter. She looked like a female version of her father, sharper and more slender and…

"Wow, you're much shorter than your dad," I note. I swear to god, the noise instantly vanishes and there is nothing except absolute silence in the guild hall. People stare at me as if I had a death wish or something. I look back at the girl – whose face looks like the Grim Reaper. Oh boy, I'd really stepped in it, hadn't I?

"Oh lord, someone insulted Aiko's height!" A blue haired boy shouts in the background. "Ignale!" 

"I'm on it, Tacks! Fire Dragon's Blazing Wheel!" A blonde haired boy catapults over the bystanders, flames blazing from his fists and feet, striking the girl unawares and knocking her down. It seems cruel to me, but the girl grins in a feral manner, her skin hardening into iron and striking back at her assailant. I am utterly confused as the pair seemed quite happy. The blue-haired boy approaches me, dragging me away.

"I don't know who you are, but never do that again. Height is a very touchy subject in my family. By the way, I'm Takamura Redfox, her brother. But everyone calls me Tacks." I assume that was due to his father's love of metal things, but who knew. He is utterly different to his sister, taller than me and gently spoken.

"Uh… Hi… I'm Gabriel Scarlett."

"Oh! I knew I'd seen you around here before! You're Auntie Erza's kid! It's unusual for you to be here by yourself!"

"Well, I was thinking about joining…"

"Ah! That's brilliant! We need more people our age here and you've got some big shoes that need filling. If you need to register, we should get you over to Auntie Mira at once!" Before I could utter a protest, Tacks drags me over to the bar area where a white-haired woman is working. She smiles happily to see the Redfox and I have to admit that I am smitten. She has such a pleasant smile. "Mira-nee, can you get Gabriel signed up, please?"

"Oh! You've grown so much since I last saw you! Please come into the backroom!"

**===][===**

Mira took me to a little sideroom which had a couple of comfy chairs around a table and a few book and other things on shelves. Mira took a little box and a stamp from the shelves and placed them on the table, beckoning me to sit.

"So, how are you Gabriel? I'm surprised to see you turn up out of the blue like this. I know your mother didn't think that you were keen on the idea of guild life." It took me a moment to collect my thoughts. Holy crap, her demeanour is like a force of nature, sucking you in. I don't think that it'd be possible to raise your voice against this woman.

"I-it's complicated. I don't have a good reason; I suppose I'm getting older and I have no plans in life. So a job that gets me fighting stuff makes a lot of sense." To my surprise, Mira giggled. It wasn't a mean laugh; it was a friendly thing.

"I've heard many worse reasons than that! How are you set up for somewhere to stay?"

"Um… I haven't even thought about that…" I admit. Stupid, stupid, stupid! How could I have not even thought about that? Do I have enough money for a hotel?

"No problem! Stay with us until you make enough money to rent a dorm. I'm sure Laxus and Laura won't mind."

"I-I couldn't! I shouldn't barge into other people's houses!" It's hard to understand how someone could be so nice. I'm not a complete stranger, but she doesn't know me well. I'm really strong – what if I was a bad man and overpowered her? She doesn't look very strong. And yet, that appraisal seems wrong somehow.

"My my, what a principled young man! Still, I must insist; I don't think your mother would be very happy if I let you sleep rough. I don't know if you're aware, but we go back a long way. We were rivals when we were your age."

"Eh!? But you're so nice! And my mum… my mum is evil!" I hung my head, remembering her scary side. Mira giggled again.

"I assure you that I have my dark side. I was just as strong as her, though I ended up not working as much as she did, so she overtook me eventually. Perhaps I'm reminiscing too much; I know the young are an impatient lot. So, what colour would you like your insignia to be?

"Um… well I already have red hair… so can I have blue to match my father's?" At those words, Mira smiled happily, seemingly pleased by my choice. She opened the box and waved a hand, the pad inside changing to blue. She touched the stamp to it, glowing slightly.

"And where would you like it?"

"Uh…" Honestly, I could only think of one place and proffered my left arm, just like my mum. Mira seemed fully aware of that as she placed the stamp. I looked down at it as the warm tingle left me. It seemed strange, but somehow right. I suppose this was my legacy, after all. As we finished, the door crashed open.

In came a towering, scary man with short blonde hair and a jagged scar over one eye. In his right arm he carried a young woman of about eighteen by the scruff, his image in hair colour and with a comparable scar. A large bump on her head pushed through her neat ponytail.

"Heya, Mira. Guess where I caught this one?" The man didn't appear to have noticed me yet. His voice was deep and low and I could feel the power radiating from him. Mira might be restrained, but this man was clearly strong – insanely so, in fact.

"Oh Laura!" Mira huffed. "You weren't trying to start a fight at Twilight Ogre again, were you?"

"No, I was just casually walking by – OW!" The blonde man had dropped the girl – Laura – on the floor. "I was! I was just, you know, walking in circles around their guild until someone took offence. Then, when they did, I kicked their asses! Hey, who's the cute guy?"

"Don't change the subje-yeah, who is that?"

"Laxus. Laura. Meet Gabriel Scarlett. You remember him, don't you?" 

"Not really," the blonde haired giant identified as Laxus admits. He doesn't look like the sort of guy to spend time watching the bugs scurry around his feet. However, the girl has me right in her sights. Her hand began to flicker with vermillion lightning. She licked her lips. She was as scary as her father!

"I wonder how strong you are." She wants to fight now? Geez, these Fairies are certainly a fight-loving group. I crack my knuckles in response.

"Laura." 

I swear, we all froze. You know how some people can yell and shout and it's not intimidating at all? Mira was the exact opposite of that. Even the slightest hint of anger in her normally placid voice made you stop and pay attention. Laxus chuckles and sits on the sofa, spreading his arms along the back. It seems like he want to enjoy the show.

"I-I'm sorry, mum! I'll clean the dishes and serve at the bar all day, okay?" Laura is clearly panicking. Does Mira really have an incredibly scary alter ego? To be scared of Mira but not Laxus? Laura gabbles a few more chores that she promises to do and flees the room with great alacrity. Mira sits down next to Laxus on the sofa. Wait a minute… Laxus… I try to remember what my mum has told me in the past.

"Aren't you the grandson of the old guild master?" I ask. He nods, a little annoyed. "I'm surprised you aren't guild master, since you're so strong and blood related to the old one."

Laxus chuckles softly. "It's just a title and rank, boy. They're not important."

"Really? You seem like you'd be strong enough to be wizard saint."

"I was once approached to be a wizard saint, but I refused the position." I shake my head, amazed. It's hard to imagine turning down that role. I know my mum did, but she had personal reasons that made sense. "It was after I defeated another of the ten saints in battle. Rock-Iron Jura. He was a tough old bastard, I have to admit. Hey Mira, is he still active?"

"I believe so. He's younger than Master Makarov ever was as an active mage, after all. The same as Gildartz."

"Jeez, don't remind me of that old fart. Anyway, where was I? Oh yeah. Listen kid, ranks and titles used to mean a lot to me. It's about recognition. I get it. But I realised that they were all meaningless. It's hard for any man to get recognition in this world, and when they do, it should be for their deeds, not their names."

Gabriel the Lion-Hearted. Sounds a bit silly right now.

"Erza the Titania." I look up at those words and Laxus is grinning. "You're mom was given that name by somebody – no idea who – and she hated it. She had no interest in any of that bullcrap. What did a title help her do to protect her nakama?"

I look a little mournful as I mull that over, and Mira apparently notices. "Don't take that too hard! It took several decades for this big lug to figure any of that stuff out!"

"I am not a big lug!" Laxus whines petulantly. It's an odd tone of voice to hear from the dour man. I imagine that it's not something heard often away from his wife.

"Yes, you are!" Mira giggles. "Oh, I'm letting Gabriel stay with us until he gets settled, okay?"

"If I said no, would it change your mind?"

"Of course not!"

"And that's why I love you." He kisses her and I turn away, embarrassed. Still, a question comes to mind, and I wanna know the answer really bad.

"Mum always said that the guys here were really strong. How many of you guys made it to wizard saint?"

Mira leans forward. "It's not a badge of strength, Gabriel. Out of the current ten, three come from Fairy Tail. Our Master is one. I think since we're the strongest guild in Fiore, there's almost a permanent spot open for our master, seeing as they have so much influence. Are you aware of Gildartz? He might just be the strongest man in the world, so it's kind of difficult to find reasons for him not to be a saint. As long as he keeps his damage to a minimum, he's like a wandering symbol of justice. And lastly, we had a punk here a long time ago. But since a certain lady worked their magic on him, he became more responsible and started doing work for the council, ending in his promotion."

"You mean Gajeel Redfox, right?"

"Oh, you've met him?" Laxus asks. I nod. "Natsu was so jealous that it was hilarious. Of course, he'd be one too if he would just stop destroying everything he touches. You're supposed to slow down with age."

I produce the letter that Gajeel gave me to deliver to the master.

"Oh, why don't you go and give it to Master Dragneel now?" Mira asks me.

"What's she like?" I reply, feeling my nerves rise again. Master Dragneel. What sort of person was a guild master? Laxus is about to answer, but Mira shushes him. She smiles at me, and the devil is in that smile.

"Now now, we could tell you what she's like, or you could just walk up the stairs and find out for yourself, hmm?"


	4. The Master Bathed in Starlight

**The Future Guild**

**Chapter 4**

**The Master Bathed in Starlight**

I head up the stairs, a little bit anxious. I'm not sure what to expect in a guild master. Apparently, the master was a woman, which didn't particularly surprise me – hey, I did grow up with Erza Scarlett for a mother, you know! But would she be fierce and powerful or old and sage?

I went up to the door and just before I knocked, I stopped, hearing a woman's voice carry through the door, sharp and angry.

"An Embassy, Natsu! An Embassy! Do you have any idea how many swear words Gajeel writes in his letters to me, just because of you? No, no, answer this; guess what percentage of missions you take result in an angry letter from the council!" A male voice hesitates and the woman goes on. "A hundred! You have no idea how lucky we are to have a seat in the council looking after us!"

"Hey Luce, there's someone outside the door," the male voice replies sheepishly and before anyone can say anything I knock, trying to give the impression that I just arrived and hadn't been eavesdropping. The female voice calls for me to enter and so I do.

The office itself seems normal and sensible. A large desk sits before an enormous window. Each of the other two walls is lined with bookshelves. It's the occupants that draw attention. Before the desk, standing, is a pink-haired man with a sour expression. As he registers me, his mood seems to brighten.

The woman behind the desk though - for a moment, I'm struck by her beauty despite the fact she's twenty years too old for me. Blonde hair cascades around her shoulders. Artfully applied make-up accentuates her features perfectly. But the eyes and smile are so full of warmth and joy it's dazzling.

"Gabriel! I haven't seen you around here in so long!"

Damn it, but she's right. In my youth I have of course visited this place with my parents, but I would never have guessed that this woman was the guild master. She doesn't radiate power or… no, that's wrong. She seems very confident and in control. It's hard to put my finger on exactly, but she seems like the sort of person you can trust.

"Yo, Gabe!" Natsu calls at me. "You've gotten so big! Up for a wrestle!?"

"Um no… I… I've joined your guild," I reply, feeling bashful. I may not remember the people here well, but Natsu and Lucy – mum has told me a lot of stories about them. And I mean a lot. Natsu claps me on the shoulder so hard I think he broke something.

"About time! It's a travesty that Erza's kid wasn't in Fairy Tail!"

"I'm so glad, Gabriel! The guild's been too quiet lately!" Too quiet? Is she insane!? This place is a hive of noise and activity that makes my head hurt – and all she can say is 'room for one more'!? Belatedly, I remember the letter from Gajeel and offer it to her wordlessly. I'm not intimidated, alright?

Lucy takes the letter from me, casting an angry glance at Natsu, who whistles nonchalantly. I'm guessing that she's worried about more vitriol from the council. He makes a quick excuse and runs out of the room. The sound from the guild below somehow seems to increase with him down there.

"Oh Gajeel," Lucy sighs fondly as she reads the letter. "To think that you could barely string two words together when I met you. You're now probably the most eloquent writer from this guild. Well, third, I suppose. Gabriel, close the door and take a seat, please."

I do as she commands, feeling a bit nervous. But she isn't a scary person and instead radiates a relaxing atmosphere. She smiles at me and I can't help but smile in return.

"So, how are you?" I'm amazed. With such a simple question, she ploughs right through every defence I've got to strike at my core. It's completely different from my parent's concerns, Gajeel's interrogation or even Mira's gentleness. Despite being pleasant and caring, it's a command, not an invitation and I cannot prevent myself from answering.

"I'm stressed. Really stressed. It's all so much to take in at once."

"That's perfectly understandable. I can still remember my first day, even now. It was certainly a hair-raising experience, I can tell you that!"

I can believe her. For a moment, I can see that this woman is a normal human being, and somehow survived this place and rose to the rank of master. She wasn't a superhuman monster like mum or the slayers, just a normal girl. She cocks her head inquisitively.

"You look like a man with a question. Please ask me."

"Um… I was just wondering… you knew my mum, right?"

"Yes, Erza and I were very close, though she was a most trying woman." Lucy giggled at the memory. "Once she decided that we needed to work on our elemental resistances, and so tied us to metal poles in a lighting storm!"

"I… I've done that too," I shiver.

"Of course, she did it too. She never asked anything that she wasn't willing to do herself." A sweat drop forms on Lucy's brow. "The problem was, she was willing to do the most insane things. I could never keep up with her."

"But you're the guild master!" I protest. Surely, she's the strongest person here? But she only smiles.

"It's certainly true that no one has been able to beat the Celestial King, but even in my prime I could only hold him in this world for five minutes before expending all of my magical power. Without him, my magic pales in comparison to some of the people here. I suppose I should be vain enough to say that I achieved a decent level of strength on my own, but I'm not the strongest. Do you think that is important?"

"Well, I guess not…"

"I am merely the guild's brain. The one who guides it around the constant obstacles that NATSU KEEPS CAUSING US!" I hear a squeak from outside the corridor. Evidently, Natsu had come back to eavesdrop. "Anyway, when it comes to the guild's heart and muscles that is the role for other people. When it comes to names of legendary stature, our guild has no shortage! You'll love it here, Gabriel, there are so many amazing people!"

There was a knock at the door and a young girl enters. Be still my beating heart. She's… holy crap… I mean… sweet Mavis she's beautiful! Hey, I'm a sixteen year old boy, you find a more articulate one on the concept of love! She's perhaps slightly older than me, with pink hair and deep brown eyes. She's so cute… and undeniably Lucy's daughter. She's carrying a tray with two cups of green tea.

"Hi mum! I saw you had a cute guest and thought you'd both like a drink!" She says cheerily. I see Lucy's brow furrow at her daughter.

"Right, I'm sure you were so concerned about me," Lucy deadpans. She waves a hand. "Gabriel, meet Nashi. Nashi, meet Gabriel."

"I'M REALLY STRONG!" I shout, desperate to impress her. I blush violently and look down, realising just how uncool that had been. Damn it, what did you say to a pretty girl!? I actually hear Natsu laugh in the corridor outside. Nashi giggled too, making it all the worse.

Suddenly, a man with glasses and a suit pops out of nowhere and begins to flirt with Nashi. I instantly recognize the lion spirit, Leo… or Loke as he's known. I've told you that I like lions before, right? Nashi seems to be enjoying it, but Lucy puts her hand in Loke's face and pushes him back.

"Yes, the guild will be good for your personal skills. You have to develop them, SINCE NOONE ELSE IN THE GUILD HAS THEM!" I'm not quite sure who that outburst was directed at, but Nashi decides to leave quickly and Loke disappears in a puff of smoke. I'm not sure if Natsu is still eavesdropping or not.

Another person appears out of nowhere, a pink-haired maid. She instantly clears up the tea Nashi had just brought and makes some statement about serving Lucy being her job and she should be punished for not fulfilling her duties. She then proceeds to stand behind Lucy with the tea like a makeshift table or something. The Master's eyebrow twitches.

"I really wish you guys wouldn't come unless you actually had something important to do," she mumbles. Lucy shuffles a few pieces of paper around. "Now, have you got lodgings sorted?"

"Um… Mira is allowing me to sleep at her place until I can put a payment down on a dorm."

"That's just like her – that guest room is rarely empty. So that means that we need to get you on a mission, doesn't it? What sort of mission would you think would suit you? Transport? Protection? Translation and Decryption? Escort? Monster Hunting?"

"Monster hunting! I'm good at that! I've fought a lot of big things in the forests around my village."

"Well let me have a look through my inbox," Lucy replied. A bunch of new quests, not even on the job board yet? These might even be too dangerous to be accepted by the guild! It felt a little exciting! Lucy spreads a few fliers out on the desk, perusing their content. One catches my eye. It's got a little depiction of what appears to be a large snake made out of magma. I pick it up.

"Hey Gabriel, that's a mission to fight a Caldera Naga. It's an S-rank beast easily, and you're not going to fight one on your very first mission."

"But it looks so cool," I mumble. Reading the flier it seems the beast has been attacking trade routes in a mountainous region. People were suffering because of this beast. It made me feel funny inside – could my actions make people's lives better? Would killing this thing save lives?

"Damn it Gabriel, I know that look. The 'I'm gonna go anyway' look. I'll allow it, but you'll need help. Now, I wonder where we can get an S-rank mage with an affinity for fighting things made of fire?"

I look up as a shadow falls over me. Natsu stands there, grinning down with his moronic smile.

"Looks like we've got a mission, newbie!"

Oh, fucking fantastic.

"Well, you'll be fine then," Lucy says cheerily. "There isn't a creature alive that can survive my husband for very long. And this is a high reward mission. You'll easily make enough to cover a few months at the boy's dorm." She smiles at me brightly. "Welcome to Fairy Tail, Gabriel! I'm sure you'll love it here!"

"Y-yeah…" I mumble before leaving the office with Natsu. As we walk down the stairs I look back up at the office door briefly.

"Something wrong?" Natsu asks.

"She was wrong," I reply. "She said that she wasn't the guild's heart, but it seems like anyone would love her like a mother." I kind of added the 'like a mother' bit at the very last moment, realising that I was talking to her husband. Then again, maybe I wasn't wrong. Whatever the case, Natsu wasn't angry.

"Ah? Well, I suppose the name 'Heartphilia' did always suit her loving nature, but I must confess that I prefer Mrs Lucy Dragneel a whole lot more! Now are you going to keep looking backwards or are you going to get your ass in gear?"

So prodded, I hurry after him, ready for my first adventure.


	5. The Dragon Blazing With Fire

**The Future Guild**

**Chapter 5**

**The Dragon Blazing With Fire**

"Come on, you two!" Natsu calls cheerily down the mountain path. "We haven't got all day!"

"This would have been so much faster if we could have just taken the train!" I shout back, annoyed from all of this bloody hiking. I'm tired! And I've had to listen to this pair of bumbling idiots the entire time!

For some reason, Natsu chose to bring his son, Ignale, on the trip. Ignale is the same age as me and looks almost like a younger clone of his father if not for the sandy blonde hair. Apparently, he and Aiko are fourth generation slayers – Slayers taught their magic by a human parent rather than a dragon.

"No transport," Ignale growls threateningly, though not intimidating for me. I can handle myself. He seems like more of a petulant asshole than his father, but then again, I have no idea what Natsu was like as a teen besides half-heard stories from my parents. Tale is that he had a few personality challenges too.

"Would you two stop complaining? It's a beautiful day – the sun is shining, the birds are singing and somewhere up here there is a giant serpent of death waiting for on epic battle!" Despite the idiocy of the comment, I can't help but agree. All of those things sound good to me. After all, I was the one who wanted to go on the mission to slay the Caldera Naga.

I must confess to feeling elated. This is what I came to Fairy Tail for. The sense of adventure, the feeling of growth, the excitement of new experiences. I just still not sold on the people. Natsu clearly has good qualities, but he's hard to keep up with. He doesn't slow down at all.

Ignale seems like an asshole to me, but then again, I guess I'm an asshole too. Probably something due to being young and male. He wears a pale muffler around his neck. Come to think of it, Ignale's always wearing that muffler. I wonder if it means something to him, because it's not cold.

"You better be able to keep up with me," Ignale taunts. "I mean I'm the son of the mighty Salamander, one of only five fourth generation slayers!"

"Five?"

"Oi, there'll be time for that later," Natsu shouts. "Gabe's plenty strong. Now, are we going to go and fight this thing or stand around talking about how we're going to fight this thing?"

To me, the idea of discussing strategy beforehand sounds sensible, but it's clearly being offered as the coward's way. Natsu simply wanted to walk into the beast's lair.

"Now, according to the Fiore Bestiary, Caldera Nagas dig huge pits which they sleep in, like a volcano caldera. I guess that's where the name comes from. That means that we won't see it until we step right onto the edge of its lair."

"Then how will we find it?" I ask. Natsu taps the side of his nose and continues on. Right, those slayer senses. We come upon a track, a place where trees have been pushed aside as something large came through. Branches and trunks are burned and blackened. It's a wonder that this thing hasn't started a forest fire.

Natsu holds up his hand suddenly, signalling for us to be quiet. I can see Ignale sniff too, so we must be close. A few metres further and even I can smell it – it's like brimstone and sulphur. It starts to become overwhelming until we finally reach the edge of its pit.

It's indeed like a volcano caldera – a complete hemisphere burrowed out of the mountain rock perhaps two hundred metres across. At the very bottom lies our prey. The picture on the flier hadn't been accurate – it looked like a black serpent with two bony prongs sweeping backwards from its skull. But it's as thick around as I am tall and it has to be a hundred metres long, if all coiled up on itself.

A bifurcated tongue flickers and its amber eyes open, lazily rearing its head to observe us. It clearly doesn't perceive us as a threat. Yet. Suddenly a hand slams into my back and I find myself sliding down the edge of the bowl, Ignale besides me and similarly bewildered.

"Go get him, guys!" Natsu laughs above us.

What a bloody asshole. Ignale merely laughs – probably used to his father's antics – and begins to hurry forward, flames igniting on his fists. The serpent cocks its head, apparently curious rather than scared. Ignale leapt high in the air towards its head, but suddenly the thing opened its mouth and a wave of flame spurted forth, slamming the slayer into the rock floor. I'm sure the moron's fine – he is a fire dragon slayer after all.

I requip to my Poseidon Blade. It's a water elemental two handed broadsword. As flames come my way, I cut them in two. I charge forward, casting meteor to try and get up in the air and behind the creature's head. Everything's vulnerable back there, right? It never turns to look at me, but its tail slams around, smacking me into the floor as well. How did it know I was behind it?

"It's a snake, dumbass!" Ignale shouts at me. "They hunt by heat and vibration, not sight!"

Well, fuck. That'd made me look a little stupid and hurt like hell. Lucy had said that this was an S-class beast, so I should stop underestimating it. I see Ignale blanch slightly as I summon my Skytitan Hammer. The weapon is five times longer than I am tall and I can only hold it over my shoulders in a sumo-like pose.

But then I cast Titan, making my legs surge in size and hurl me skywards. Now, I can't make my whole body grow yet – like I believe the old master could – so I shrink my legs back it normal and increase my arms to swing the hammer, smashing the snake's face sideways.

At that moment, Ignale is in the air too, inhaling deeply. He roars, engulfing the majority of the Naga's upper body. Now, I'm fairly sure that snakes cannot display emotion, but as it emerges from the flame it looks to be quite pissed off to me. It sort of roars – I later learn that snakes have poorly developed vocal cords – and its body begins to blaze with internal heat, beginning to look like magma.

Okay, now it looks like the picture on the flier – holycrapthat'sfast! I barely register the serpentine body smashing me into the floor. It's not just the impact – it's hot, burning, searing. I hear Ignale shout in pain and join me in my little pit of pain. We're definitely not weaklings, so that thing is definitely a strong beast. I'm not sure we can beat it.

There is a tremendous roar and as I look up, I'm stunned to see a dragon in flight, ruby scales sparkling along its flank. But suddenly the image was gone, to be replaced by Natsu hurling himself at the Naga. But…but… I'm sure that I saw it. There was a dragon, I was sure of it!

"That's my Dad," Ignale said proudly. "The only first generation slayer to ever master the use of dragon force without a key."

H-he's amazing! There's no other way of describing it. It's like watching a god of war cloaked in a mantle of flame. The Naga is slowly retreating as he constantly wails on it with wave after wave of flame. Seeing how long the serpent lasts against that level of magical power makes me realise that I was kidding myself to believe that I could take it. Lightning begins to flicker within Natsu's flame and I can feel his magical power jump again. This man is insanely powerful.

At last, the Naga dies, the entirety of its upperbody engulfed in flame so bright that I can see its skull and parts of its spine. The head crashes into the floor, dead. Natsu lands before it, and I'm struck by his back, of how straight and broad it is. This man might be a goof at times, but he radiates dependability.

What was it Gajeel had said? That I needed a person to drag me forward like a beacon, someone to follow in the wake of. He'd also guessed that it would be Natsu. How had he known?

Ignale was already on his feet, less hurt due to his damn fire immunity. I try standing and find that I've hurt my left leg. Blood is leaking from my thigh. Natsu comes over to look at me, briefly examining my leg.

"Meh, you'll be fine. You're a tough lad. You did well today, seeing as this is your first quest, but I guess any kid of Erza's gonna be an expert monster wrestler. Just from the play fighting, hihi!"

Well, my mom is a monster, I can't deny that!

"Hey dad, I did well too, right!?" Ignale pouts. Natsu grins and ruffles his hair.

"Not bad for a whelpling! Now, who's up for some snake meat?"

**===][===**

Well, I'm pissed. I couldn't eat the Naga's meat due to the heat properties it possessed, but those two could wolf it down. How is that fair? My leg's still hurting though, and Natsu seems to notice.

"Hmm, maybe this is worse than I thought. We should get you to the apothecary to check it out."

"Urgh… I hate doctors," I admit.

"You hate doctors!?" Ignale wails suddenly. "You have no idea! Our doctor is so scary! She's evil! Malicious! She'll break your bones if you speak out of line and reset them in the most painful manner possible!"

"Is she so bad?" I ask. I never quite see Natsu stifle a laugh. So don't ask me how I narrate that. Ignale carries on, being very theatrical.

"Oh she's awful! See, she learnt from the most evil hag to ever live in the forest! You see, she's no mere ordinary human, she's a slayer! The terrible dragon of the sky!"

I shiver. I've met both Gajeel and Natsu. Both are horrible in their own ways. How scary will the sky dragon be?

**I think at this point the question people might have is: where are the Exceeds? We've covered both Natsu and Gajeel, with no Happy or Lily in sight. Do not worry; they're being saved for their own chapter!**

**Natsu: Wait a second! If Gabriel knows Meteor and Titan… isn't he basically Monkey D. Luffy? I mean, that's gear second and gear third, right?**

**Quiet, you.**


	6. The Medic Immersed in Sky

**The Future Guild**

**Chapter 6**

**The Medic immersed in Sky**

Natsu and Ignale weren't talking to me anymore. Due to my leg injury they had agreed to not walking and we had caught the train, giving me my first up close view of slayer motion sickness. They had not been very happy but as we returned to the guild, I noticed a bit of attention fall our way.

People seem curious as to how my first mission went, but I try to shy away. The attention is all a bit too much for me. There are a lot of people pestering me for details. They all seem so happy and positive it's hard not to get swept up in it. Still, I head to the bar and ask Mira for a drink. As I do so, an enormously overweight man sits next to me.

"Hi there, I'm Droy. You're Gabriel, right?"

Well, he's one of the few people who haven't referred to me as 'Erza's brat' or something similar, so I warm to him a little. He instantly orders a lot of food from the bar, though.

"I don't know if you've heard, but I'm one of the reporters for the Fairy Tail magazine! I'd love to get an interview from you about your first mission! I can see it now; Gabriel the Heraldl! How's that sound?"

"Herald?" I ask, furrowing my brow.

"Don't you know that your name comes from an angel in mythology?" Droy asked. I shook my head. Perhaps that was rather like my mum's naming capabilities. She saw the baby me as an angel and had taken the most literal interpretation possible.

"I'm not an angel."

"Okay, then we can think about the headline later. But I'm sure the world will love to see the child of Erza Scarlett is now in action!" Perhaps he doesn't realise how annoying that is. I don't want to be judged by my mum's shadow. Droy looks down. "Oh, that leg looks nasty. The interview can wait; you should go see Wendy."

"Oh God, no!" I squeal pathetically. I mean… I squeal awesomely. "I don't like doctors! Ignale and Natsu told me that she's an evil person who revels in inflicting misery on her patients!"

Droy gave me an odd look. "Gabriel, the apothecary is just off the main hall. Why don't you go and see her for yourself?"

**===][===**

I am shaking like a leaf as I reach up to knock on the apothecary door. It's so big and uninviting, despite this little nameplate that says 'Wendy' decorated by flowers. I knock loudly, desperate to just get this thing over with.

"Come in!" A female voice sings from inside. As I push open the door, I can see a small room with two little beds for patients and walls lined with all kinds of ingredients like herbs and leaves and potions. A person suddenly approaches from my side, and remembering the tales of fear, I throw my hands over my head, crying out in fear… not at all like a little girl, I assure you!

"Gabriel!" I find myself in a sudden hug, being pressed into an ample pair of boobs. Er… breasts, I'm not immature. She's a little shorter than me, but not by too much. Long, wavy, dark blue hair cascades down her back. She was supposed to be scary, but if anything, she's… cute! "Tell me, how is your mother?"

"Um… my mother's doing well," I reply, a little confused. I mean, this isn't what I had expected at all! How on Earthland is this woman a dragon slayer? She is utterly different to either Natsu and Gajeel. She sees my injury and beckons me to sit on one of the beds. Oh god, here comes the leeches and the scalpels, right?

She places her hands over the wound and a white light glows. It feels warm and tingly and pleasant. That's it? She's just gonna heal my wounds magically? No needles? She frowns slightly. "You went on the mission with the Caldera Naga, didn't you?"

I nod.

"I thought so." She opens a large book and scans it briefly. "Yeah, it's like I thought. The Naga has sulphur present in its skin which is infecting the wound and interfering with my sky magic."

"Oh god, you're going to have to amputate!?" I scream. Have I mentioned that I'm bad with doctors? She looks at me a little oddly, as if I'm insane, but the good bedside manner quickly overrides it. She holds her hands up, forming a sphere of sky magic. Inside that sphere, this little dollop of purplish liquid emerges. She applies this concoction to my injury and it closes up almost instantly.

"What was that thing?" I ask.

"Oh, that was a poison that would seek out the sulphur atoms and force them to disengage from your cells so that the sky magic could work."

"You can make poison!? I shrill. I knew it, doctors are evil! Wendy merely giggles.

"It was a magic gifted to me a long time ago by an old enemy. It was strange at first – poison and sky magic seemed to be absolute opposites. But the more I learned, the more compatible they were. Before, I could only heal injuries, but poison allows me to expunge infections too. After all, 'curing' a bacterial infection is the same as killing the bacteria."

I'd honestly never heard the word bacteria before. I wonder if that was some kind of illness? I suppose what she's saying makes some sense – like a yinyang thing. "So, you're a twin-element slayer too?"

She nods. "We all are, the first generation. Natsu was granted lightning from Laxus. Gajeel stole shadows from a member of another guild." Really? Gajeel did seem like the sort to take whatever he wanted. Laxus did not seem the sort to share. So she was a Sky-Poison slayer. I'm curious, to say the least. I look down at my leg, now seemingly fine.

"You're a really good doctor," I admit. "You're not scary at all."

Wendy laughs. "I think that's the first time that anyone has ever thought that I might be scary!"

"Why do you have all of these herbs and potions? If you can heal injuries with magic, why do you need them?"

"Well, some of its habit. My teacher, may she rest in peace was not a magician and yet relied on these herbs and potions. Despite that, she was a brilliant doctor." Wendy smiles fiercely at the memory of her mentor. I can't imagine her well, but she clearly left a good impression here. "Anyway, it's important that I study and research, because anything that I can discover in the field of medicine can be used by others, magic users or not."

"I suppose that makes sense."

"Have you seen the size of the current building? When Lucy-san came to power, she used all of the money her father had left behind to massively increase the size, tailoring it to our abilities. I owe this wonderful Surgery to her, and it's important that I repay that debt by making sure that Fairy Tail has an impeccable reputation for medicine." 

"Lucy's rich, then?"

"Not exactly. Her father was an immensely wealthy merchant, but lost all of his money. Apparently he made a lot of money again during the seven year gap, but some legal issues delayed it ending up in Lucy-san's hands for quite a while. She's sunk all of that money into the guild."

The seven year gap. I've heard of that one before, of course. My father is seven years older than my mother and not something they could have avoided explaining. I knew Lucy cared for the guild, but hadn't known about the lengths she'd gone to for it.

"Of course, you should visit the library. That's the other place that got a really big upgrade. I'm sure that Lucy-san's fondness for the written word had a big part in it!" I scoff slightly. A library? Books? There can't be anyone interesting in there. Then, two children of about the age of ten ran in, crying 'mama, mama'. They see me and stop.

"No worries, you're mum's done with me!" I say, making a big grin. One is a boy and the other a girl, and even without them stating the blindingly obvious, the familial resemblance is clear. Both of them have black hair, so I can surmise their father's hair colour pretty easily. They're damn cute little bastards, I must admit. They can't be much more than a year apart – it's hard to tell which one is older.

They are trailing a bucket between them full of what looks like plants they've dug up. I guess Wendy sent them out to gather stuff for her. In the manner of ten-year olds, they are covered in mud and grass.

"Sasha, Mischa, please say hello to Gabriel."

"Hi!" They chorus. I kinda wave back, a little taken aback by their enthusiasm. They're more forceful than their mother, who speaks more demurely. I'm quickly forgotten though, and they begin showing their mother all the things they've gathered. Roots, herbs, leaves, it all pretty much goes right over my head. I stand and go to leave, but Wendy calls me.

"Please feel free to stop by anytime, Gabriel. I'm usually here, and I'm always happy to see you. You'll have to update me on your mother sometime, okay?"

"Um, of course." Before I shut the door, I briefly watch Wendy with her children. She instantly gets down to their level, engaging with them enthusiastically. She looks like a brilliant mum, one who would never throw her son into a wolf pack to hone his fighting skills or hug him tightly while wearing a full suit of platemail armour.

Huh. Maybe I have a few mother issues.

**===][===**

In the end, it seemed like I never had to stay at Mira's. In one quest I'd earned enough money to pay three month's rent at the boy's dorm and more. Mira helped me arrange to book an empty lodging with some older guy. I think his name was Macao.

Macao takes me to my dorm. Apparently the male dorm is not a single building, but rather it's split up around Magnolia. I'm not sure why the girls get a huge building but the boys don't. Do… women bond and stuff? You know, like naked in the bath together? Yeah, that's gotta be great.

Never mind! I'm pretty excited as I push the key and open the door. Immediately inside, I have to climb a flight of stairs. My apartment is the upper floor of this two storey building. There's a single, large room which has a bed in it. There's a kitchen, not very big, but enough room to squeeze in a small table. Lastly, there's a toilet, which I promptly christen. Hey, it's been a long day!

I head back to the bedroom and sit down. It's weird. It's empty now, but it's mine. It belongs to me. Me. I can do anything with it. I could get a big Lacryma vision, maybe put up some posters, play some music - it's gonna be really cool here!

I miss my mum and dad.

I do. But I want them to be proud of me. I know that this guild means a lot to them – more than life itself it seems sometimes. I'm not sure how I feel yet. The guild is a warm place, seemingly full of happy and cheerful people. There are a few personality issues there, but I suppose that's to be expected.

Gajeel was… interesting to say the least. You can feel that he's a man who sorted his life out. He's rough and worn like a boulder shaped by the tides. Mira is one of the most pleasant humans I've ever come across. So gentle and kind. Laxus was so full of certainty in his own way. Strong, dependable.

Natsu was also strong and dependable, but in a completely different way. He's like a figurehead, leading the way with a blazing torch. He's joined by Lucy who seems like she radiates with light. Maybe she does – she does command starlight, after all. And Wendy is so kind and cute. But she too, feels utterly dependable.

Fairy Tail.

I'd heard so much of it, and yet understood so little.

I lean back on my bed, eyes closing with exhaustion.

Who knows who I'd meet tomorrow?

**Obviously, I've taken a liberty here, but I love the idea of Wendy gaining Cobra's magic. It brings her in line with Natsu and Gajeel and it just seems to work – that Yinyang concept, and poison and healing actually being surprisingly compatible. Also, it points to redemption for Cobra, whom I like.**

**One thing I've been enjoying is the naming conventions for the chapters. So here's a couple of spoilers for who we'll be seeing next. Most are obvious on who it's about, though 8 may be a surprise. We'll see.**

**Chapter 7 – The Drunkard Showered in Love**

**Chapter 8 – The God Wrought by Power**

**Chapter 9 – The Cats Floating on High**

**Chapter 10 – The Legion Crackling with Thunder**

**And to my long time readers, yes I will be doing Levy! Of course I will! XD She's my favourite character, so her chapter will probably be far and away the longest, but I'm not going to rush to it. I've got a basic order of progression that I'm aiming for.**


	7. The Drunkard Showered in Love

**The Future Guild**

**Chapter 7**

**The Drunkard Showered in Love**

Jeez, if you take out the time I was on my mission, I've only been in Fairy Tail for a day. And yet it's only day two and I've managed to get caught up in something before I've reached the fucking guild hall!

There's what appears to be an eight year old girl and she's crying her head off. Because she's being fucking kidnapped! About a dozen men in shady cloaks like something out of a play. It's so melodramatic. Metallic copper faceplates hide their identity as I chase after them through Magnolia's early morning streets.

Why am I chasing them, you ask?

Because there's a young girl crying! What sort of man are you!? Of course I'd try to help, that's what guild mages are for, right? Fuck you, do you have any idea how hard it is to narrate while in a high speed chase? Get lost, I'm busy! Meteor! 

The two in the rearguard block my way. Wham. Wham. I don't even need my weapon for these weakling fuckers. Only weaklings would need to pick on children. The next two draw guns. Let me show you that I'm not just a cheap imitation of my parents. My mum only used swords and close combat weapons. I requip to my Pulse Rifle. It's a long barrelled gun that fires pure magical blasts channelled from the owner. I'm not just after these two. I lock on to all but the man carrying the girl.

"Magical Blast: Homing Barrage!" Blue streams of magic fly to my targets and take them out. Weaklings indeed, but I can't shoot the man with a hostage, so I run after him, sheathing my weapon, now a stave rather than a gun. But suddenly, the man twitches and stops, his legs encased in ice.

"Guns Magic: Ice Shot!" There's a girl in about her mid twenties if I had to hazard a guess. She has long brown hair, braided into a ponytail, tight denim shorts and cowboy hat. She looks at me with a smile. "After seeing that marksmanship, I had to reply in kind. Asuka O'Connell, Fairy Tail mage. Pleased to meet you."

Sorry, I'd stuck on the tight denim shorts… why is every girl in Fairy Tail drop dead gorgeous?

"Uh, Gabriel Scarlett. Nice to meet you too." I didn't bother saying Fairy Tail, since my guild mark is obvious on my arm. Suddenly, I have a little girl clamped around my leg, bawling her eyes out. "Hey, hey, you're safe now!"

"Uwwwaaaaah! It was scary!"

"I-I'm sure…"

"I'd heard that there was a dark guild going around trying to kidnap children, but this was ham fisted and clumsy," Asuka said, eyeing the human litter around us. "At this rate, Fairy Tail will have them wiped out soon. Now, you want to give us any info to help us?"

That question was aimed at the half frozen man. He spat on the ground. "I ain't gonna tell you nothing."

"Oh, we'll see about that." Down the road were Rune Knights, coming to make the arrest. Finally. At their head is Gajeel Redfox himself. He marches over to the man and grabs him by the chin. "I've got two kids myself. Let's see if a loving father can interrogate some information out of you."

I shudder and turn away. Now that's scary.

**===][===**

"Stop following me!"

"But I'm lost now!" The little girl shouts back. She begins to tear up again.

"No! No! Don't cry! Please don't cry! I'll help you get home!" Damn, I'm a sucker. Asuka had taken her, but the little girl had apparently latched onto me as her saviour. Lord knows why. I kneel to get my face closer to hers. "Can you tell me where you live?"

"Sure! But I need to go shopping first!"

…

God fucking damn it.

**===][===**

It turns out that the girl – Beth – had been sent in to town to pick up a few supplies. It seems like a bit of a job for an eight year old, but she is fine with it. She's done it before. I help her carry the things – once I'd gotten her back to the shops she knew the way home, but I didn't want to leave her alone after that attack.

But she leads my out of the city and into the gentle countryside. It's not too far, but it surprises me. We come to a large old stone building, three stories high and quite broad.

"Your house is so big!" I say out loud.

"Of course! It has to fit all of the kids, after all!"

All of the… I close my eyes in a painful moment of realisation. This is an orphanage. About a dozen children of varying ages run up, calling Beth's name. They all seem so happy to see one another. Damn it Gabriel, do not get sucked in by the cute. She's telling them all about what happened, and a few turn to me, starry-eyed.

"So I have you to thank for saving Beth?" I turn and there's a woman standing there. She has long wavy chocolate hair and the dirtiest smile I've ever seen. She's also probably the tallest girl I've ever seen, taller than even me – but I'm still growing, okay!? Considering this is an orphanage, she's pretty scantily clad. The Fairy Tail emblem is prominent on her left side.

"You're from the guild?" I ask. She sort of hiccups a laugh. Is she… drunk?

"Boy, you couldn't have a guild without a Cana Alberona party!" She says, throwing back her head and laughing. "But nowadays, I'm the owner of this here establishment. Now come on kids, stop making a fuss out front and let's get all of the supplies put away. It's almost harvest time!"

"Yay!" They all cry, disappearing back into the building.

"Harvest time?" I ask.

"You look like a young man with time on his hands. Why don't you help?"

…

God fucking damn it!

**===][===**

Cana leads me through the orphanage and out the back. There's an enormous orchard here, apple trees spreading further than I can see. Beyond the confines of the orchard, you move into forest rolling up into the distant mountains. It's a serene place, and the trees are clearly ready to drop soon, full of juicy red apples. The children are running around, carrying little whicker baskets.

"Oi, oi, isn't this just child labour?"

"It's the duty of a mother to do more than love and care for her children. They must also be taught the value of honest work," Cana replied dismissively. "I'm sure Erza was the same way." 

"Y-yeah," I agree, pushing down traumatic memories. "I suppose that makes sense. I can see from here that you care about them."

"Any kid that has nowhere to go is welcome to come to Cana's Farm!" She laughs. "Well, farm and distillery, I suppose. You ever had Alberona Cider, lad?"

"No, but my mum has a couple of bottles around the house. You make that stuff?" That was a lie, of course. I may be underage, but what young man hasn't snuck a few bottles… er… _mouthfuls _of alcohol over the years? That cider is some pretty fiery stuff, I'll tell you.

"I promised myself, that I'd produce nothing but the best alcohol ever." She's suddenly super solemn and serious. Heh, alliteration. It's like alcohol is a life and death matter to her or something. I watch the children running around in the sunshine. Call it work if you like, but it looks a lot like play. They all look very happy here. Though something bugs me.

"Hey, don't you need ladders or something?"

"Why? The apples will just come down to us." She whistles and I notice a man in the orchard for the first time, lying down lazily in the sunshine. A few kids were already petulantly poking him and he finally stands at the whistle. He's a tall bastard, a tattoo on his left cheek, his hair drawn back into a bun. "Bakky-chan! It's time!" 

"Don't call me that, Canawana," he responds in a good-natured pout. It sounds like an old worn joke around here. I can see an old, faded guild stamp on his bare torso, a different one to Fairy Tail. The man places his palms together and I instantly feel the magical power flow. He's strong, that much is clear. He slaps a nearby tree, and the WHOLE FUCKING ORCHARD SHAKES. How the hell did he do that – much less without destroying the tree he hit? Apples begin to fall everywhere as the trees vibrate and the children are running to and fro, trying to catch them. Suddenly, a basket is thrust into my hands.

"Gonna help, then?" Cana asks dirtily.

"Watch me! Meteor!" Okay, it may be silly, but I was enjoying myself, okay? The atmosphere here… it's so peaceful, so happy, so much love is in the air. I've never felt so at home when I've been away from new Rosemary. But this place is a home for anyone who wants it. I help for about an hour or so, and I learn that the man's name is Bacchus. He's already asleep again, enjoying an afternoon siesta.

This Cana. She seems like an awfully dirty sort, the kind to be up to mischief. But instead, she's here, helping those that are unfortunate to help themselves. She seems like a wonderful person. Still, every second sentence from her mouth is some kind of innuendo. What a contradiction. Then again, maybe not. I remember how Gajeel looked like a deviant, but was actually a law enforcer. The gentle Lucy was a Guildmaster. The terrifying Laxus was a family man. The moron Natsu… well, maybe not everyone is complex…

There's a tremendous boom, like an explosion going off in the distance, but no one else flinches as I almost fall over my own feet. I look up, and from one of the mountains in the distance a column of smoke rises into the sky.

"Ah, looks like a fish got away," Cana giggles. "Oi, Erza's brat. If you're looking to meet some important people, why not go to where that smoke is? You'll meet a couple of amazing people up there."

"That was a person!?" I ask, amazed. How much magical power was that!? "Who is it?"

Cana grins at me. "Why, the best person in the world, of course!"

God fucking…

…

Actually, I'm curious. I'll go and see what's up there!

**Well, that probably makes Chapter 8's character obvious… right?**

**Sorry, I ship Canacchus pretty hard these days. I just like the dynamic of the pair. **


	8. The God Wrought in Power

**The Future Guild**

**Chapter 8**

**The God Wrought in Power**

I advance up the gentle mountain slope. The countryside here is so peaceful. I can see why someone would have built an orphanage nearby. While I don't doubt there's a few beasts lurking around, this looks like a wonderful place for children to play and explore.

I'm going a bit further, though, to where I saw the explosion earlier. The trees thin out a bit and the slope becomes more and more steep. Eventually, I come across a stream, water gently flowing down the mountain. Looking up, I reckon I can pretty much follow this to my destination.

As I get closer, I begin to hear two voices talking, belonging to older men.

One chuckles. "Promise me that if this one gets away, you won't blow up the mountain again."

"I promise nothing – hah, got it!" A splash of water coincides with the statement. "It's a whopper, alright!"

"And the deer of the forest can rest easy that the mighty Gildartz won't disturb their peace again."

"You know Jura, I don't remember you being this cheeky in the past."

"I'm retired now. Why can't I let my hair down?"

"You're bald!"

I finally enter the clearing, coming upon two men with fishing poles. One was a giant of a man, elderly and hairless, save for a thin beard drooping down his chin. The other was still a big man, gnarled and worn with short grey hair. They turned as I entered, but there was no surprise. Honestly, I think if I had been an enemy, I'd have been dead about ten minutes ago. The power here… it's overwhelming.

There's a pair of baskets full of fish. Actually, the bald man's is much fuller. The other man's eyes drop, noticing the guild logo on my forearm. As they do, those eyes light up with sudden joy and recognition.

"Gabriel! I haven't seen you since you where knee high to a grasshopper! What brings you out here?"

"I-it's a long story, but it ends with me seeing the explosion. Cana sent me-"

"You met my Cana!?" The man becomes quite animated and lively. "Tell me, isn't she a cutie? I have all these pictures, you wanna see?"

"Gildartz-dono, your daughter is twice this boy's age. You aren't showing off baby pictures," the bald man states reasonably. There's a sudden motion and Jura has another fish to add to the basket.

"That's not fair!" The man named Gildartz protests, baiting his hook again. "Sorry boy, but we're on a romantic adventure here. I can't lose to this man!"

"Again. You can't lose to this man… _again," _Jura says with a wry smile.

"It's not my fault that the fish aren't biting today." Splash. "Well. Shut up."

"Um, excuse me?" I ask, feeling a little nervous. "But you two aren't Gildartz Clive and Jura Neekis, two of the gods of Ishval, are you?"

"The same," Gildartz replies offhandedly, waving off the title like it meant nothing.

"Retired," Jura corrected. "Though I do suppose they never retracted the rank. It's just a name, boy, don't give it too much weight."

"B-but… even out of the ten saints, you guys…" There was a splash and Gildartz shouted in anger, slamming a fist into the ground. Cracks raced away into the mountainside where there was another explosion.

"Damn. Told you that I promised nothing."

"Well, there's a reason where we do this away from people." Jura places his hand on the ground and the crack begins to disappear, like the mountain is closing back up again. "How Fairy Tail still stands after you've been in it is a mystery to me."

"I did make a couple of holes in the walls."

"A couple?"

"Or a few! Damn it, why does everyone insist on counting my repair bill? I've long learned not to worry about it."

"How reassuring," Jura teases drolly.

I begin to back out of the clearing, leaving the two elderly men to their bickering. It's the most surreal moment of my entire life. There might be more power fishing in these mountains than the rest of Magnolia combined. And yet, they were just a pair of bickering old men enjoying their hobby.

You except someone of such renown to be speaking in parables, making thunder crack with every word and the ground tremble with every step. But even they are just human. Is it such an attainable goal? I wonder how Natsu or Laxus or Gajeel might compare to these two. Even I, largely dense to the world recognize the name Gildartz as the strongest man alive. Truly a god of Ishval.

Though, I wonder how long it's been since his power was tested. How mum or dad might compare these days. How I might. I'm not stupid, I don't want to fight him, but it'd be good to know how far behind I am.

Suddenly, I feel energy in my steps as I hurry down the mountain. We'd barely exchanged any words at all, but meeting him made me feel excited. Behind me was the pinnacle of humanity. It might be an insurmountable goal, but it was a tangible one, and that was it. There was nothing more.

What the hell am I wasting time here for? I need to return to Fairy Tail and get a mission! I won't get stronger standing here! Unexpectedly, the ground heaves and I leap aside as the earth fissures underneath my feet. In the distance I hear an apologetic shout. "Sorry, my bad!"

On the other hand, Fairy Tail might kill me.

But if it doesn't, then there's a saying about that, isn't there?

I'm off!

**Sorry for a short chapter, but I had intended this one to be a quickie from the start.**

**Since not all of my readers are English, the saying is 'Whatever doesn't kill you, makes you stronger'.**


	9. The Cats Floating on High

**The Future Guild**

**Chapter 9**

**The Cats Floating on High**

"Why are you following us!?" Aiko shouts at me, turning back from the path to snarl up into my face. The dragon slayer might be pint-sized, but she's scary as hell! Probably get that from Gajeel. She and Ignale had left the guild stating that they were going to New Extalia to get their very own Exceeds. I had been curious, so I'd gone after them. I'd heard a lot about the Exceeds and wanted to see them.

Aiko doesn't appear happy with the explanation, but turns away from me. We're in a dense forest, sunlight streaming through the leaves. Apparently, New Extalia was somewhere around here. Or at least a colony – I'm not too clear on the details. I'm excited to see the winged cats, though. They're supposed to be special.

"My cat will be ten times better than yours, Shortstack!" Ignale boasts.

"As if, dumbass!" Aiko snorts in return. "Remember the difference between Lily and Happy? We Redfoxes know how to choose the strong ones."

There's a rush of movement and suddenly a huge cat man jumps between the trees. Jeez, I'd been led to believe that Exceeds were the size of cats, but this guy's over six feet tall and built heavier than Laxus. He wears an avian-styled helm over his face, and a cloak drops down one side of him, revealing an enormous sword hilt on the other side.

"You are about to enter the territory of Extalia. No human shall pass unless they can prove themselves to me." The cat's voice was severe and deep, rumbling like thunder. He might be strong, but he wants to tangle with two slayers plus me? He's got a screw loose!

About fifty two seconds later, I'm scraping my face off of the floor. Holy shit, I'd underestimated this guy! While he clearly has no killing intent, it's like hitting a brick wall! Except, I can go through brick walls, this guy was harder. I can hear Ignale and Aiko charging again, but the black cat swings his enormous sword and takes them both out. Damn him, I am a weapon's expert!

I surge to my feet, exquipping to my Colossal Shearer, a sword on a similar scale to his. I exchange blows with the cat, parrying faster than I think I'd ever gone before. I see the cat smile briefly, but then I'm sucking mud again. Damn it, how are we going to beat him? I see Aiko sneaking up behind him and suddenly pounce. Hah! She…

"Uncle Lily!" She shouts happily, hugging the Exceed around the neck. To my surprise, the scary girl is crying tears of joy. "I haven't seen you in so long!"

"Humph. At least you haven't been skipping your training. You two are much stronger than the last time I saw you." The cat easily holds Aiko's weight in one arm as he speaks. "Who's this?"

"A smelly idiot."

"Aiko," Lily warns.

"Sorry, Uncle Lily," Aiko replies like a little child caught out. "That's Gabriel. Auntie Erza's kid."

"Ah, of course. I remember now. Your skill with the blade is not bad for someone of your age, boy. I am impressed." I'd impressed him? My lasting memory of the fight was being face down in the mud. "Don't feel too bad. I have trained for my entire life – over a hundred of Earthland's years. The last twenty or so of those have been with Gajeel."

Gajeel? Well, that went some way to explaining his strength. He'd mentioned Earthland. I'd heard of Edolas, but it was strange to think that this creature literally came from another dimension. Perhaps not as strange as Aiko being all cutesy, but hey.

Panther Lily, as he was called, led us to the Exceed colony. The trees gave way to show a sweeping meadow. Lily had shrunk down to a cute little kitty, and dozens of the cats were scurrying to and fro, looking a lot like a human world with whiskers. It was adorable in a weird way. Simple huts and cottages sat amongst fields that were being ploughed. It was definitely a farming community, though I could see cats working on fishing rods and nets. I suppose it made sense that cats liked fish.

"Ignale!" A high pitched voice cried. A blue cat was floating over on his wings, charging for the blonde slayer at reckless speeds. Ignale made an 'oof' noise and fell over backwards, cradling the cat in his hands.

"Uncle Happy!" Happy had been carrying a little green bundle on his back, and from his position on Ignale I could see a little sky blue kitten poking his head out, wide-eyed at the world. Aww, it's so cute! Ignale could too, eyes open in surprise. "Uncle, you have a kitten!"

"Aye!" Happy took the little kitten in his arms. "This is my son – Merry."

"Aye!" Squeaks Merry, holding a paw up in salute.

"D'aaawww!" Thankfully, no one looked at me funny, as all three humans are making the same noise. Seriously, this is one cute kitten! I wonder who the mother is. I guess a white cat based on the fur colouring.

There's an angry shout and there's a female Exceed dashing across the ground, her wings spread. The cat is white, and striped like a tiger. She has a pair of swords drawn and attacks Lily in a hurricane of strikes. Still chibi, Lily parries it all so fast that it defies my eyes and locks her swords together.

"Not bad at all, Kala, but you lack discipline. You're fast, but sloppy." In response to his words, Kala begins to grow, adopting a humanoid and yet leonine form as tall as myself. Lily smiles. "I should beat you down, but I think I know someone else who wants to fight you."

Kala is knocked back as Aiko jumps at her, hardening her fist into a pole. "Gihi! I'm gonna do what my dad did, and beat you, making you my cat!"

"I swear by my honour not to fall to a mere human!"

I turn away. Awesome battles and all, but there's a cute kitten over this way. Don't judge me! Like you guys don't spend half your time watching cute kittens on YouTube. Now, I'll just put this fourth wall back and focus on the plot. Ignale is talking to Happy.

"Uncle, I want to make Merry my partner!" He declares boldly. "Please entrust him to me!"

"Hmm, I think Charla would be angry, but then again I've always wanted him to be your partner. You kid slayers haven't had a partner for too long! Every slayer should have an Exceed!"

"Aye! Dad, I wanna see the world too – and the guild!" Merry chips in.

"I'll give him lots of fish!" Ignale promises. "Damn it, why didn't I think to bring fish here!?"

"No worry, we have lots of fish here!" Happy says proudly. "Happy's Fishers are the best fishers in all of New Extalia!"

"That's not quite true," Lily says with a smile. "You catch more boots than fish. But fish are plentiful here. As is arable farming land. New Extalia is a paradise. Between our dairy and fish, we have everything a species of cat could ever ask for."

"How long until you think those two are finished?" I ask.

"Hmm? Aiko and Kara should be well-matched. They'll be at it for a while. They're well suited. Kara is strong, but an impudent whelp who needs to learn her place. As is Aiko. They'll be good partners. And a growing Exceed will teach Ignale some much needed compassion for another living creature. I'd say this works out well, but we better ask the princess."

"Well, I'm a prince now, so my word is equal to hers," Happy says smugly.

"Sure," Lily deadpans. Somehow, I imagine that Lily's word carries more weight around here. He seems the dependable type. Happy, not so much. I notice that Lily is looking at me. "Hey kid, you requip your weapons like your mother does, right?" I nod, and he unslings the sword from his back and throws it to me. As I grab it, it triples in size to be human-sized. "That's a Musica Sword. You won't find many weapons finer. Make good use of it."

"I… I couldn't…"

"Take it. I've had a new Buster Marm made for me, so I'm not going without. Extalia has never been attacked. As a guild mage, I'm sure you'll give that sword more use and a better home." I'm not really sure what to say to that, so I nod and bow severely. It seems to please him.

"So you're the cat," I say at last. "Gajeel spoke of a cat who helped him change."

"I'm glad to hear the oaf speaks well of me, but I can't claim credit for his growth into a responsible man. I'd have to lay that at the feet of his wife. She did wonders for him."

"You know, I've yet to meet this mysterious wife. She must be a monster to keep Gajeel in line."

Lily laughs. "Not quite. She isn't hard to find. 90% chance she's in the library. 9% at the bookstore. 1% other. Oh, I think they're done." Kara was on the ground in her chibi form, eyes spinning. Aiko huffed nearby, exhausted.

"I beat ya, cat!"

"My name is Kara! And I will abide by my honour. I am your partner now, I swear it!"

"That's my girl," Lily said proudly. I don't know if he meant that she was his daughter or just a member of his guard or what. I didn't ask, it seemed impolite at the time. Hell, he might have been referring to Aiko as his niece. I don't know. Don't look at me; it's the author being mysterious! Still, Ignale and Aiko have their partners and we depart for home.

**===][===**

**The following is a break from the first person narrative**

In the small hut that was her home, Charla patted the bump on her stomach proudly. Soon, she would lay her second egg. She hoped that this one would be a girl, but would be happy either way. She lifted a teacup from next to her, but dropped it, shattering on the floor. Trembling, she held a paw to her head.

"W-what is this vision?"

_The guild hall was burning, the sky a roiling red. The crimson sky was blotted out by the wing beats of vast monsters, crushing the houses of Magnolia with their bulk. But, there were no Fairies to stop them. The guild was empty. _

_But then there was a spear of light in the darkness. Eight stood to oppose the tide. But they were so small, so few. A cavalcade of monstrous flesh descended from the sky to devour them all._

**Angry Reader: Damn, you Kurisu! Why didn't you state if Kara was Lily's daughter or not!?**

**Kurisu: *Cringing* Because I'm not sure yet! I wanted to leave myself some wiggle room! Please don't hurt me!**

**Angry Reader: Never! *Beats me with a chair* **

**Kurisu: Damn, even in my own stories, I lose!**


	10. The Legion Crackling with Thunder

**The Future Guild**

**Chapter 10**

**The Legion Crackling with Thunder**

I was on the open training grounds outside of Fairy Tail. The noise inside had gotten to be unbearable for me. You might have thought that getting partners would have calmed the Slayers down. Oh no, quite the opposite. Merry was becoming more mischievous, and Kara now had an ear piercing.

The arguments were worse now. A cry of 'My cat is better than yours' was all it took to spark off a full scale war. Well, I'd become sick of it. So I'd come outside, to practice with my new Musica sword in the sun. There were a few people out here, but it was quiet, overall.

I cut a few sword katas, trying to get used to the weight of the blade. A little complicated since it could grow and shrink, but I was getting the hang of it. Apparently though, even this moment of solitude is not possible in Fairy Tail. To my surprise, a series of green bolts of magical power are flying at me.

Now, I might be a liiiiiiiiiiiittle arrogant, but I'm pretty quick on my feet and step back, parrying the bolts away from me. A swarm of little brown… things… fly around me. They kinda look like totem-pole faces or something. There's this guy at the edge of the arena. He's a creepy looking fucker, tall and covered by bulky clothing and a faceplate. His tongue hangs out, revealing the guild mark stamped on it.

"Kyahahahaha! You looked lonely, sparring by yourself! How about I give you a proper workout? Go, my babies!" The 'dolls' began to rotate around me faster, and their mouths begin to glow. Here it comes. Requip! Lily's sword is good, but right now I need two weapons, so I switch to my Mammoth Sabres, two long swords curved like a tusk. As the laser beams come at me, I use the two blades to parry, spinning like a dervish. Not a single one hits me.

"Kyaha! That's Erza's brat for you! Not too shabby, kid! Here I go, Baryon Formation!" The dolls fly back towards their owner and spin in a circle, a single, large ball growing in their centre. Here it comes. A titanic attack comes towards me. I'm sure this guy thinks that I'd be taken out, but he'll be disappointed. Zarushield!

A golden shield materializes in the place of my weapons, blocking the attack. Oh, you thought that because I can't use armour that I couldn't defend myself? Moron, that's why they invented shields! This weirdo looks a little impressed – it's hard to tell behind his mask.

"Not bad at all, kid. Not bad at all."

"Do you always attack guild mates from out of nowhere, Mr…"

"Knight. But call me Bixlow, brat." 

"Call me Gabriel, dumbass," I respond, annoyed by the constant 'brats'.

"Kya! Well said, boy. Well said. You got yourself on a team, yet?"

"A team? No." I hadn't even considered such a thing. I mean, there were plenty of people who took missions by themselves. "Are you on a team?"

"Am I on a team? Kyahahaha! Only the illustrious, wondrous, almighty Thunder Legion!" As he said this, he struck a kind of pose. I raised a brow. "Well, of course it looks dumb by myself, I need my team to do the pose with me!"

Yeah, I'm sure it'll look cool then. I roll my eyes.

"Oi, Fried! This kid isn't listening to me! Set him straight!" I look over and there's another man walking over to us. He has long green hair and a sophisticated look compared to this weirdo.

"Bixlow, please stop dragging me into posing competitions. It does get tiresome. Hello, there. You must be Gabriel Scarlet." The man extends a hand and I shake it, pleased to finally meet a normal person around here. "I am Fried Justine. The leader of the Thunder Legion."

"What sort of magic do you use?" I ask, curious. Since I've never heard of it before, he gives me a brief description of Darkness Script. It sounds complicated. I'm a bit more straightforward, honestly. Not, stupid! Straightforward. Jeez, you're very mean, reader.

"Do you think I need a team too?"

Fried furrows his brow. "You know, your mother operated by herself for a very long time. Since she took a team though, she never went back. You don't need a team for the small missions, but it allows you to do so much more. Come to think of it, I don't think any of the youngsters have formed a permanent team yet." 

"A lot of temporary ones, but nothing permanent," Bixlow agreed. "They're just now stopping taking missions with their parents, really."

"Like Chika?" Fried asks.

"My baby ain't doing any missions by herself until she's at least thirty!" Bixlow shouted, making Fried chuckle. "At least I got a kid! You can't make kids the way you have sex!" 

"That has nothing to do with anything!" Fried snapped, and the pair fell into an aimless squabble.

"Would you two stop fighting?" A woman huffed, approaching the group.

"Finally! We're all here! Can we now show this boy how our pose works when we're all together?" Bixlow asked. The other two grudgingly agreed. They struck their pose, Fried in the middle with his arms outstretched. Bixlow knelt to match the woman's height and they placed their hands outwards. Well, it looked less goofy than one person, I'll take that much.

"Roll call! Fried Justine!"

"Bixlow Knight!"

"Lisanna Knight!"

I finally take in this woman's appearance. Bit mean of me, eh readers? By the surname, she's related to the other guy. Based on the fact they look nothing alike, I'd guess wife. Lisanna is short, with platinum-blonde hair and a pleasant smile.

"Oi boy, say hi to my wife!" Well, I'd gotten that much right. "You've already met her sister, right?"

"Oh! You're Mira's little sister!" It all just clicked. That's where I'd seen that smile before. Lisanna smiles brightly at my words. "I didn't know she had one. Let alone that she was one of Laxus' bodyguards."

"Well, after my brother stole their third member, Bixlow insisted that I join to make up the numbers." Lisanna giggles. "I was really nervous at the time since I wasn't as strong as these two, but I remembered an event long ago when they came to save me from an evil wizard called Rustyrose. They were so cool then, how could I turn them down?"

"Lisanna was the only woman who didn't treat me like some kind of weird freak," Bixlow says fondly, putting an arm around his wife. "So eventually, I married her and had a great kid together."

I wonder what this Chika is like. Is she like her father or her mother – there's a world of difference between the two. I'm also curious as to why Fried doesn't have any kids. I couldn't quite grasp Bixlow's words earlier. So I ask him outright. He looks at me as if I am an idiot.

"Gabriel, I'm gay. I have a husband."

"Oh!" I feel like an idiot, alright. I grew up in a small place, and I'd barely heard of homosexuality, let alone met a gay man. I gabble like the little moron that I am. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to…"

"It's fine. I'm an adult and I've come to terms with my identity. Unfortunately, for all its good points, Fairy Tail has a dearth of gay bachelors, so I ended up marrying a non-mage. He's wonderful, though, and I wouldn't change him for the world."

"Still wasn't Laxus!" Bixlow said teasingly.

"T-that was a boyhood crush!" Fried shouted, flushing bright red and wrestling with his friend. They're a strange pair, alright. A real odd couple.

"Oh, don't mind those two," Lisanna says, waving a hand. "They've been best friends for about three decades – they have no barriers between them anymore." She then raises her voice. "Anyway! I came out here to tell you three that we have a job to do! Master thinks they've found another den of the Wolf Pact."

"Wolf Pact?"

"Don't you know?" Fried asked. "I'd heard you stopped a few yourself. It's a dark guild that specializes in child trafficking." 

I remember the people who had been kidnapping one of Cana's orphans. My gut twists a little. The idea that there were people dealing with trafficking children in Magnolia was sickening. Did they really think that they could operate in Fairy Tail's shadow? I can see Bixlow is unhappy with the news, and I recall that he has a fifteen year old daughter. Perhaps a bit old to be a target, but it's not a pleasant thought.

"We'll wipe them out without fail," he spat.

"Indeed," Fried agreed coldly. "The Thunder Legion will go boldly forth!"

"I won't let anyone hurt innocent children!" Lisanna said with a sharp nod.

Having said such badass lines, the trio then decides to pose, ruining it. I sigh and shake my head a little, but I have no doubt that they'll wipe out the Wolf Pact with ease. Those guys are weakling picking on children. These three might be an odd matching of strange people, but they are the real deal.

They'd given me something to mull over though; do I need a team? Maybe I should go and have a look around, see if someone might want to give it a try. Tacks and Nashi seem okay – not too loud and more capable of thinking. Yeah, maybe I should hurry, lest I get stuck with Ignale and Aiko!

**===][===**

**Third Person Narrative**

The Wolf Pact operated from the sewer system beneath Magnolia. There was no central command – the guild was in many small cells spread all over the city. The location of one such cell had become apparent from Gajeel's 'tender' interrogation skills. The Thunder Legion descended on them and obliterated them without hesitation.

Still, it was only one cell of the guild. Deeper into the sewers a small malformed creature named Ekor shuffled along the narrow sewer passages, only a lantern to light his way. Expertly finding the crack in a wall, he slipped his fingers in to flick a switch. The wall rumbled back to reveal a secret chamber and he headed inside.

The narrow passageway quickly gave way to a large chamber. The ceiling was low, but the room was vast. Cages lined the walls and as Ekor passed, their occupants watched him go. Violent beasts licked their lips at the small creature. A Stormvent Hydra reared as high as it could to watch. A Mordanian Chimera smashed against its bars, eager to feast.

Cringing, Ekor scurried on. "Master?" He called.

"In here, Ekor," a voice called. Recognizing the call, Ekor headed into the inner sanctum. There stood his master, the Guild Master of the Wolf Pact, Urien Rakarth. He was a tall and burly man, his hair and beard running together into one matted mess. A large fur cloak hung from his shoulders, and all of his clothes were leathers taken from violent and powerful beasts. He was not known as the Beastmaster for nothing.

"Report, Ekor."

"Yes Master. I'm afraid that Fairy Tail has obliterated cell C."

"No big loss," Urien said, shrugging his shoulders. "You know as well as I do that this guild is merely a diversion from my true goal. While the Fairies hunt down my men, my goal advances unhindered." Ekor then looked up at the large object that dominated the chamber. It was a large, speckled oval, about as large as a man.

A dragon egg.

**===Author's Notes===**

**Right, I think there's quite a few important points to bring up here. First of all, I wanted Bixlow to have a surname. It's so annoying. At least Evergreen is now a Strauss, which helps. Knight was my best idea. It suits him in my mind.**

**Mashima, y u no give me a gay character to ship Fried with!?**

**I don't ship Bixanna in general, but I decided to roll with it. I can see the logic in it. Bixlow saved Lisanna on Tenrou, and they worked together in the GMG. Evergreen leaves, so a Strauss fills the hole. Bixlow's weird, but Lisanna's kind and sees past it. The more I think about it, the more it makes sense. They might have become my third crack ship after Miraxus and Canacchus. I don't think it makes much sense in the present, but in this fic with twenty years development, it feels okay.**

**===Replies to Reviews===**

**Neko-Chan2604 and Guest: **I have decided to confirm Kara as Lily's daughter. Over on Deviantart, I'm posting a folder of profile cards for my OC children. It should help people imagine how I see their kids. You can find them at: gallery/45220087

I've yet to do a few, though. I'd also appreciate feedback on them.

**Ulcaasi: **Yes, Levy is the editor for Fairy Tail's magazine. She performs that role from the library.

**SakuraIchigoDark: **Thank you for not beating me!


	11. The Mage Drowning in Affection

**The Future Guild**

**Chapter 11**

**The Mage Drowning in Affection**

After talking with the Thunder Legion, I head into the guild hall, looking for Tacks and Nashi. I'd seen them at a table earlier, and they're still there. Now, I might have skipped this before, so I should give a brief description.

Tacks is Gajeel's son. He doesn't look much like him though. He's taller than me by a bit, and quite lightly built. His hair is an attractive shade of blue which he keeps out of his eyes with a headband. His eyes are red, but they're different to Gajeel's, round and gentle. I wonder what his mum must be like – he's nothing like the monster his father is.

Nashi is easier to explain. Imagine Lucy at about the age of eighteen, but with Natsu's hair colour. Her hairstyle is similar to Lucy's, except that she has a pretty braid that starts behind her ears and joins together behind her head to run downwards.

"Excuse me," I say, a little embarrassed to butt into their conversation.

"Oh, hey Gabe. What can we do for you?" Tacks replies, greeting me warmly. I'm a bit unsure of where to start but I explain the idea of thinking about looking for a team. Whether or not it'd be a good idea, or if they have any ideas on who I should team up with. As I finish explaining, I suddenly feel someone shove me really hard in the back and I stumble forwards. I fall over Tacks and land on Nashi, bearing her to the floor.

This was already pretty embarrassing, but it's the realisation that my face is buried in her bazoongas that does it. I mean boobs! I mean breasts! Chest, I mean chest. Damn, this is complicated. Flailing around like a moron, desperately afraid of placing my hands on anything, I manage to stumble to my feet. Nashi isn't looking at me, though. She's looking past me and I turn to see.

There's another girl there. Long blue hair, and I mean LONG. It goes down to her ass and it's got a lot of volume, like the waves on the ocean. Her eyes are blue too. As is her jacket, belt and shoes. Her trousers and top are kinda purplish, but the girl clearly likes the colour blue. Three bucks says her guild mark is blue too. She's glaring triumphantly at Nashi.

"Since he's looking for a team, why don't you take him, Pinkie? Then Tacks will be free to join me on a team." She swoons to grab his arm, making him flinch at her lovey-dovey expression. "Then it'll just be the two of us. Alone. Forever."

Scary.

"Hey! Why did you push me!?" I shout, annoyed. "Who the hell are you, anyway?"

"I, am the future Karren Redfox!" She declares boldly. "There shall be no Nashi Redfox while I draw breath!"

"I am not trying to be the next Redfox!" Nashi shouts as she stands back up. I catch Tack's disappointed expression. Poor bastard. The one he likes doesn't like him back. The one he doesn't is throwing herself all over him. "This is Karren FULLBUSTER."

"A temporary surname, I assure you!"

"That still doesn't explain why you pushed me!" I state angrily. She smiles and shrugs.

"It was fun to do it to Love-Rival."

Nashi's face goes bright red in frustration and she shouts. "Auntie Juvia! Karren is stripping again!"

"N-no I wasn't!" Karren protests, waving her arms about. A blue haired woman marches over. I have to say, Karren's mother could almost be her sister. Their height is identical and she's aged well. So, I guess she'd be Juvia Fullbuster from the conversation I'd picked up on.

"Then where is your jacket, young lady?" Juvia huffs. Karren looks down, clearly surprised by her own state of undress. "You know that it isn't right for a woman to be removing all of her clothes!"

"But dad does it all of the time! And I don't do it on purpose! It just sort of happens!"

"Can't you just make more clothes with your water body?" Tacks asks, butting in to the conversation. Karren leans over him.

"And what would you like me to wear?" She purrs, making Tacks blush bright red. Juvia grabs her wrist and pulls her back.

"Karren! What have I told you about flirting with boys!?"

"…don't do it in front of your love-rival?"

"Exactly. She'll use this information against you. Just like her mother, this one." Judging from the expressions on Tacks and Nashi, I'm beginning to feel that Juvia's grasp of reality might be thinner than her daughter's. However, she's now looking at me, which is not a good feeling. "I'd heard that you'd joined, Gabriel. Why haven't you spoken to Gray-sama yet? You know that he was a very close friend to your mother."

"I haven't given it much thought," I admit.

"You haven't thought about Gray-sama!?" Juvia exclaims, making me jump. She grabs my arm and pulls me along. "You must meet him right away!"

**===][===**

Juvia drags me and Karren over to the bar, where a tall, black-haired man is sitting. He's wearing a long white overcoat and nursing a drink. It might be my imagination, but I'm sure that an ice cube appears in it as I look. As he notices me, he smiles.

"Gabri-gurkh!" His greeting is ended as Juvia and Karren leap on him in a big hug.

"Juvia has missed her Gray-sama!"

"I love you, dad!"

Oooooooooooookay. I have no idea how this man is alive, if he has to put up with this every time he sees his family. He wearily pushes them off, clearly used to it and refocuses his attention on me.

"How are you, Gabe? I'd heard that – shoo, let me talk to Gabe! – that you'd joined the guild. How is your mum?" I sit down next to him at the bar, quickly ordering a drink from Mira. I frown and try to gather my thoughts. I'd heard of Gray before, of course. He was one of my mother's team mates. A cool sort with a stripping problem.

"Um, my mum's fine, thanks. She and dad are doing well, though I don't know what they're doing with me gone."

Gray nods thoughtfully. "And how are you finding the guild?"

"It feels a bit like I'm drowning in all of the attention and noise sometimes," I admit. Gray laughs loudly.

"I know the feeling of drowning in attention, Gabe! Trust me on this much – it's better than starving from a drought of it." I start a little, thinking on those words. They resonate with what Gajeel had said to me before. It's fine to want some solitude, but no one likes having solitude forced upon them.

"Isn't it a bit much for you?" I ask, nodding over to where Juvia is still watching the conversation from behind a pillar.

"Believe it or not, but she's much better than she was ten years ago. Back then, she'd follow me everywhere and make me these weird lunches shaped like my face and stuff. At least her cooking's improved, since she wants to be the perfect wife."

"A perfect wife stalks you!?"

"Well, no, but I think she always wants to be on hand in case I need anything. I tell her that I don't require her to serve me, but she never listens. I used to reject her attentions for a very long time."

"What changed?" I ask, becoming curious.

"I began to realise that I was always keeping myself at a distance from my friends. Our guild talks a lot about Nakama and friendship, but there was always this level of separation I maintained for some reason. I think I was afraid of getting hurt. I lost someone who I once loved dearly a very long time ago."

I'm fuzzy on all the details, but from my mum and dad I've heard of Gray and Ultear a lot. I think he's referring to Ur, Ultear's mother.

"For that reason, I never acknowledged that Juvia was in love with me. I'm not quite sure how I framed that thought – it seems like a lifetime ago now. Geez, I guess it's Karren's lifetime ago, anyway! The point is, I was keeping myself distant, and that was hurting both of us. Eventually, I learned to let go and let her in."

"I'm not sure that I can do that."

"Listen to me, Gabe. It ain't easy. I didn't say that it'd be easy. But be as open with your Nakama as you can be. Bare your soul for all to see – they'll love you for it, not hate you."

"I'll bear that in mind," I say absently, looking into my glass. "Jeez, my mum put you up to this, didn't she?"

"She did mention something about her son being an uptight asshole," Gray agreed with a big smile. "Then again, since she thought that I could identify with you, she mustn't think that much of me!"

"Gajeel said the same thing," I reply ruefully. "By the way, thanks."

"What for?"

"For calling me by my name," I reply, standing up. "Most people call me 'brat' or 'kid'."

"Well, I'd also tell you that names are things that other people give you. Salamander, Titania, Kurogane – those are names that were earned, not that were created."

I droop, head hanging. Damn it, I'm never gonna get someone to call me Lion-Heart or Gabriel the Lion, am I? I notice that Gray is looking at me, fingers on his chin in a display of thought. "What?"

"Your hair makes me think of your mother. It was distinctive enough to give her her surname, so who knows? Maybe you'll get your nickname that way?" That makes me perk up. There's a chance yet! Still, a thought comes to mind.

"Hey. What sort of nickname do you have?" At the question, Gray blanches. I'm not sure why, but Natsu is storming across the guild hall towards us.

"Oi, Slanty-Eyes! Did you take the mission to the Fukuhana Mountains!? I wanted that one, you damn Stripper!"

Oh.

"You wanna go, Droopy-eyes?" Gray roared, and his coat went flying – the rest of clothes somehow going with it. How the hell did he strip down so fast!?

"Gray-sama!" Juvia cried, hurrying forward with a new set of clothes. Now that's preparation!

"Yay!" Karren cries, throwing her own newly-acquired jacket aside, thankfully keeping the rest of her clothes on.

"Karren-chan!" Juvia cried, turning back to her daughter. And just like that, it's gotten very noisy. People are shouting at other people about five different subjects. That'd be bad enough, but more are gleefully piling in. I see Aiko throw a stein at the back of Natsu's head, causing Ignale to leap to his defence. I have honestly never seen a fight break out so fast. Something tells me that Gray and Natsu have done this a lot over the years.

I'm vaguely planning to back away when someone jumps at me. A flash of blonde and I realise that it's Laxus and Mira's daughter, Laura. I don't want to fight, but I can feel Gray's words – don't hold back, let loose. Her fist slams into my head and MavisfuckingVermillion that hurts! Laura is certainly as strong as she's made out to be. But at the same time, my counterpunch lands and knocks her back.

Damn, that feral grin is scary! She really wants to go at it and the entire guild has devolved into a brawl. Purple lightning begins to crackle around her body. Temperature drops near Gray as Natsu becomes wreathed in flame. A hundred other spells begin to form around the hall.

"WHAT ARE YOU FOOLS DOING!?" On the top floor, shouting over the railings is Guildmaster Lucy Dragneel. More than that, around her is a shimmering effect like the stars in the night sky. Inside that darkness I can make out the head and shoulders of a titanic being, and without being told, I know that I'm looking at the Celestial King. It was his booming voice that we all heard and the guild instantly simmers down.

"GIHIHIHI!" With the rapping of his can on the floor, Gajeel Redfox enters the guild, coat flowing behind him. "I'm glad to see that this dump hasn't changed!"

"Gajeel! Fight me!" Natsu leaps at him, but a titanic fist squashes him flat to the floor as Lucy descends the stairs. After that, the King fades away.

"Gajeel! It's good to see you again! I think that she's in the library if you-"

"No." Gajeel became serious, talking more formally. "I have serious news, and it's for the guild. I need to talk to you in private, Guildmaster."

"Of course, Fairy Tail will hear anything you have to say, councillor."

**===Author's Note===**

**Welp. I'm sorry in that I don't think that this chapter is very good. I find Gray a very hard character to understand. I think more than that, I'm unhappy with confining Juvia to comic relief – I like her more than that. She's getting better attention in 'The Strongest Princess' and my upcoming fic about the Element Four.**

**I won't give a spoiler, but the next chapter is called 'The Man Brimming with Manliness'. If you find that hard to understand, I can't help you. Hint: It's not not Elfman.**

**I've updated the character profile set found at my Deviantart page. I'll put the link in my profile as I didn't realise that it didn't work in the last chapter. It now contains all of the eight original children I designed, along with the two Exceeds debuting in Chapter 9. In addition, it has three 'new wave' designs of Bixlow's kid, Fried's adoptive son, and Evergreen's second child, forming the New Thunder Legion. I don't like asking for comments and stuff, but could I have some feedback on the design of Laura Dreyar (I was quite pleased) and the backstory of Frederick Justine? I liked writing it – Frederick's easily the deepest character I made. All that's left to do is Wendy's twins who appeared in Chapter 6, Sascha and Mischa.**

**===Reply to Reviews===**

**SakuraIchigoDark:** You're worse than Juvia -.-

**Neko-Chan2604: **Fried has never been outright stated to be gay, but it is heavily implied, particularly with his lusting after the Trimen in a special chapter. I like assuming that he is – it makes him more interesting, IMO. FT needs more gay characters.

**Luccian: **Huh. I apologize to your keyboard, with the damage I caused you to wreak upon it.

**Ulcaasi: **Gabriel's first team mate will be a lot more the 'leap before you look' kind of guy. We'll have to see who he ends up with in the long run.

**RubyDemonXoXo: **Thank you, I really appreciate those words!


	12. The Man Brimming with Manliness

**The Future Guild**

**Chapter 12**

**The Man Brimming with Manliness**

"Okay, everyone listen up!" Lucy shouts from the top floor, over the crowd gathered below. A magical display pops up, a simplistic overhead view of Magnolia being shown. Bright red numbers glow on that map, twenty total. "Thanks to Gajeel interrogating one of their members, we've located twenty cells of the dark guild, Wolf Pact. Destroying them all may not destroy the guild, but it will severely cut into their numbers."

"One thing I couldn't get is the location of their boss," Gajeel agrees. "I don't think that any of them actually know. He keeps himself hidden, even from his own guild. All we know is that he calls himself the Beastmaster."

"We've taken down Oricion Seis, Grimoire Heart and Tartarus!" Natsu shouts from the ground floor. "These guys have numbers, but their battle strength isn't even in the same league. We'll crush them in no time!"

Lots of Fairies cheer, and I do too, swept up in the mood. The Wolf Pact. They call themselves a dark guild, but in truth most of their members aren't magicians and their only task is child abduction. They are the lowest of scum and wiping them out is a deed that'll make the world a better place. Lucy begins to declare numbers and read out names, assigning them to strike forces. Apparently the idea is to strike every cell at the same time. That way, they'll have no warning from their comrades.

As the last of the names are called, I realise that I was never called. Looking around I can see Aiko look similarly disgruntled. Only Tacks and Nashi were called out of the youngsters. Karren looks a bit upset. But it's Laura who decides to take umbrage.

"Oi!" The young Dreyar shouts up at the Guild Master. "Why aren't you sending the kids!? We're just as strong as the adults, we're stronger than some, even!"

"I know that," Lucy replies. "However, I cannot in good conscience send any of you under the age of eighteen to fight a dark guild."

"But you did much more dangerous things at our age!"

"Indeed. Laura, pay attention. I didn't instruct you to go anywhere. I also didn't tell you not to go. Anyone who wants to accompany the adults may do so, but it's on your own head. I won't force you to go, but I won't make you stay."

"Alright!" Laura cries. "I'm gonna go with dad!"

"Great," Laxus mumbles.

"Tacks, Aiko. Show me how strong you've gotten," Gajeel declares, striding down the stairs.

"Just you wait, I'll show you what Nashi and Ignale can do!" Natsu crows gleefully.

I watch as people pair off with others. I don't have my parents present, so what can I do? Who should I ask to join? I hate the Wolf Pact and what they do. I want to help wipe them out.

"That's a manly thing to say," a deep voice rumbles behind me. I hadn't realised that I'd spoken. I turn around to look at who spoke to me. Then I look up, because this guy is without a doubt the biggest man I've ever seen. Over a head taller than me and about twice as broad. He has short white hair and a scar over one eye.

"Um… hello?"

"Not a manly greeting, though!" He shouts, clapping me on the shoulder. Ow, ow, ow, ow, ow. "I am Elfman Strauss."

"Strauss… are you related to Mira?"

"I'm her little brother." LITTLE!? "Out of the three Strauss siblings, I'm the manly one!"

There was a tremendous cracking noise and Elfman staggered. Behind him, a brown-haired woman with glasses had just slapped him with a paper fan.

"You've spoken to this boy for three sentences and you've used manly three times! Why hasn't your vocabulary improved after all these years!?" The woman snipes. She was an imperious looking lady, rather scary in my opinion. She wasn't short at all, but this man kind of dwarfed everyone in comparison.

"Ever, it's good to call people manly," Elfman pouts, strangely childish for such an enormous man.

"Not your wife and daughter!" This is beginning to sound like a long running argument. You know the kind that couples have sometimes? Like leaving the toilet seat up, or putting the remote somewhere strange. My family doesn't have those arguments.

Because mum wins them all. Instantly.

"I just wanted to ask Gabe if he wanted to go with us. He's manly and doesn't have a team. He needs a manly team to match. And who is manlier than us?" Okay, I'm not sure if this guy's slow in the head or obsessive compulsive, because it's clear that his wife is going to kill him. I decide to step in, to try and move forward.

"That sounds great! I'd love to go with you guys! I'm supposed to be meeting new people, after all!"

"Manly," Elfman replies with a vigorous nod of his head. Well, I tried, I console myself as the wife batters him again.

**===][===**

It turns out that Elfman and Evergreen (I learned her name after mistakenly using the contraction 'Ever'. She didn't like that) had two children that were accompanying us. The eldest is a girl named Bea who is even taller than me – something that she clearly inherited from her father. Her hair is white and drawn back in the same manner as Laura. She's annoyed because she apparently wanted to go with Laura. I realise that through Elfman and Mira, the two girls were cousins, which explains some of their similar appearance.

The second is a son called Daniel. He's only twelve but he's also definitely sprouting up. He has white hair too, in a spiky ponytail. He's kind of hard to get a read on, but he seems like your typical boy – energetic, eager, and kind of an asshole. He's annoyed too, because he wanted to go with his friends, calling themselves the new Thunder Legion. From this, I learn that Evergreen was the displaced third member.

"Listen, you two! I know you want to go with your friends, but this is a prime chance to have some family time. When was the last time we went on a mission as a family?" Evergreen asks.

"Not for a long time, since you two always argue," Bea replies haughtily, rolling her eyes.

"We do not argue!"

"Yes, we do," Elfman objects. I pinch my nose in frustration. This man has to either be incredibly stupid or incredibly single-minded. We're walking through Magnolia to our destination. All of the Wolf Pact's cells are in the sewers, so we're going to have to go down a manhole. I wonder if Evergreen and Bea will mind. They seem kind of prissy. To my surprise, neither even bats an eyelid as they climb down the ladder. Clearly, I shouldn't let first impressions sway me too much.

The big problem is actually Elfman. He's so big that he barely fits through and he has to stoop a lot in the narrow passageways of the sewers. It's pretty grim down here. The sewers have clearly been built for humans to move through, but they're low. And the smell! Down the middle runs the river of effluence, known as 'the stew' apparently. It's pretty goddamn vile.

There's a small bit of bickering about which direction to go, but thankfully Evergreen had taken a map from the guild. Something Elfman had overlooked. As we went on, the adults led the way and I talk to the kids.

"So…" Damn me. Damn my lack of social skills.

"Don't worry," Bea says to a question never asked. "They fight all the time, but it's just how they are. Don't think too badly of them for it."

"It's weird sleeping over with friends," Daniel agrees. "Their houses are so quiet."

I'm not sure what to say. It certainly seems that Elfman and Evergreen are a poor match for matrimonial bliss. Then again, there are all sorts of people in the world. My parents are not like Natsu and Lucy, but they seem like wonderful parents. Watching Gray's love for Karren or Gajeel's pride for his kids, there seems to be so many types of functioning family. Jeez, if Lisanna and Bixlow can make things work, these two should have it easy!

"Okay, I think it should be behind this wall," Evergreen says at last. "We just need to find the switch and come up with a plan of attack…" 

"MAN!" The wall disappears into a cloud of smoke and rubble as Elfman's arm becomes blackened and enlarged, punching through it like tissue paper. Evergreen's face drops into a thunderous scowl, but Elfman has already leapt through, shouting his favourite word again. Shrugging, I follow into his wake and into the chamber.

It's almost like someone dug a hole into the ground and put the veneer of a building around it. There's stone walls and floors, but they're patchy, showing earth all around. Our team is four people. Arrayed against us looks to be about fifty bewildered guilders. Before I can even do anything, Elfman has sent four of them flying.

There's a round of gunfire and Elfman turns into a scaly monstrosity, easily warding off the projectiles. I remember Lucy commenting that most of the Wolf Pact weren't mages. They wouldn't get very far against us with mundane weapons!

"Leprechaun!" A round of explosions engulfs a gaggle of the enemy as Evergreen snaps her fingers.

"Mystic Soul Takeover: Dryad!" Bea dashes forward, a wooden bark covering her skin, her fingers becoming elongated talons. I must admit, I'm surprised to see the girl engage in hand to hand combat. Sure, she's a big girl, but she looked far too elegant for such a brutal fighting style.

"Stone Shift!" Daniel's body becomes like rock, and he lifts a huge boulder from the ground, hurling it through more of the enemy. Jeez, he's strong for a twelve year old!

I laugh a little. It looks like they're a dysfunctional family in the extreme, but as a fighting unit, they are incredibly well coordinated, supporting each other wordlessly. It occurs to me that I'm standing back too much! I came here for a reason, after all! It's time to try out the sword that Lily gave me. The Musica Blade quadruples in size as I draw it, and I get stuck in.

Overall, the fight is easy. There's a couple of magic users in their ranks, but they're weaklings, easily dispatched. I don't mean to brag, but Fairy Tail mages are the strongest mages in the world! Wait, when did I start identifying as… damn it, that's unfair.

As the fight goes on, I break away from the main fight, pursuing a group of fleeing wretches down a dark corridor. Here, even the basic stonework gives way to nothing but bare earth. I take them down easily enough until one remains. Looking around, I realise that I'm in a group of cages. Small cubes, each about a metre in diameter. They could barely hold anything bigger than a… than a…

A child.

Wolf Pact is a child trafficking organisation. Scum. Absolute scum. How many cages are there here? How many are empty?

"Why?" I ask, my voice thick with anger. The last member tries to scurry away. "Why do you do this?"

"Why do you think? Money!" He shouts, clearly terrified. "There are many organisations willing to pay top dollar for humans…AAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRGHHHH!"

I stamp on his leg with a horrible snapping sound. "Money!? Money is the reason that you rip children from their homes!? Leave devastated families in your wake!? How much!? How much is that worth!?"

"Even a single child can reach upwards of a million jewels…" I grab him by the collar lifting him clean off the ground. My question had been rhetorical, of course. I draw back my fist and hammer him in the face. Blood spurts as his nose breaks. I hit him again and his head lolls back. I hit him again. And again.

I was lost, truth be told. A red haze clung over my mind, clouding my thoughts. I had been taught that life was sacred, that people should be protected. This, this offended me on a deep, primal level. I intended to kill him. But as I drew my fist back again, a large hand enclosed around it, powerful beyond my level.

"I know that you're angry, but you have to stop."

"I want to kill him," I hiss. "What they've done here is evil."

"I know. But a Man is more than that. YOU are more than that. A Man seeks justice, not revenge." A moment goes by as Elfman's words settle into my brain. I let the man go, letting him fall limply to the floor.

"You know, you say some smart things," I say with a bittersweet smile. Elfman nods savagely.

"I'm a Man."

**===][===**

**Third Person Narrative**

"Master! Master!" Ekor cried, hurrying into Urien's inner sanctum in which the dragon egg sat. Urien looked around sharply, not used to having his minion burst in without announcing himself. "I have terrible news!"

"Stop squawking and spit it out, then!" Urien snapped, turning away from his prize.

Ekor cringed a little under his maser's wrath. "Fairy Tail just took out… gulp… ninety percent of Wolf Pact."

"Ninety?" Urien said quietly, unbelieving. Ekor nodded furiously. The Beastmaster turned from his minion and back to the dragon egg, running his hands along its smooth oval surface. He inhaled deeply and sighed. "Very well. Ekor, let us begin phase two."

**===Author's Note===**

**I'm very sorry for the delay to this chapter, and its less than stellar contents.**

**===Replies to Reviews===**

Let's sum up everyone's review. I WAS LYING, IT WAS ELFMAN.


	13. The Racer Burning with Speed

**The Future Guild**

**Chapter 13**

**The Racer Burning with Speed**

I'm on the roof of my dorm building. Shut up, it helps me think. I'd received a package from my mum and dad this morning. It contained two magical summoning charms. It's a little hard to explain to a layman like you, _moron, _but requip mages basically have a magical space that they keep their equipment in. Mum and dad had bought me something, and I could use the charms to move the equipment to my space. Understand, dumbass?

Sorry, I'm in a bad mood.

Why did they buy me these? I can't use them. The weapon is bad enough. It's a powerful bastard, whatever it is, so dense in magical power that I can't draw it to me. You think mum ever had that problem? Of course not. Mum was like a goddess of war, powerful beyond compare. I'm not like her.

But why did they buy me a suit of armour? They know that I can't requip my clothes! It's like they're mocking me. Fortunately, I'm smart enough to know that's not the case, but it stings. Clearly they thought I'd grown strong enough to use them, but I haven't.

I lean back on the roof slates, enjoying the early morning sun. Inside, though, I'm depressed. There's been a lot of heavy stuff going down with this Wolf Pact business. I've seen things that I rather hadn't. And it's made me come to the startling realisation.

"I'm a weakling."

"Damn son, but if you say shit like that, where does that leave real weaklings like me?" I sit back up in surprise, giving me a view of the street below. There's a tall, skinny man standing there, looking up at me. He's got striking orange hair and distinctive not-quite-ugly facial features. I have no idea who the hell he is.

"Who the hell are you?" I ask rudely. I am not happy that he's butting in on my quiet time.

"The name's Sarusuke, but they call me Jet!" He replies with a big grin. "One half of Fairy Tail's intrepid reporter duo!"

Where had I heard that before? "Oh, you mean that fat sack of crap at the guild? Roy?"

"Droy. He told me that he tried and failed to get an interview with the son of the famous Erza Scarlett. I'm here to remedy that mistake." He looks around a little. "Didn't expect you to be up there, but you've been groaning like a love-struck teenager for a few minutes now."

"I have not!" I shout hotly and turn around to face away with him. However, to my absolute and total surprise, he's already there, sitting cross-legged on the roof. How in the name of Mavis did he…

"Mind if I sit here? I mean it's a public roof, isn't it? I just wanna ask you a few questions for the interview." He took out a pad of paper and a pen from his jacket pocket. I flump back down in a huff.

"Fine. Ask away."

"What's your favourite colour?"

"Really? That's your fist question?" I ask incredulously.

"I'm building up. Just answer."

"Fine. Purple."

"Because of your parent's hair?"

"Because of my eyes."

"Yes, that is weird. Then again, I've seen weirder in this guild. Okay, what's your favourite food?"

"I dunno. I like lots of things, I just don't like fancy food. I like my food simple and filling."

"So… not cake, then?"

I tremble violently. "No Gabriel, never touch the cake… the cake is death, never touch the cake…" 

"Oooookay… I think I understand where that trauma comes from. Okay, you just wanna tell me some of the things you dislike?" 

"Idiots asking stupid questions." 

Jet grins at that one. "Well, you have your mother's diplomacy skills, I'll give you that. Alright, I'll cut to the better questions, shall I? Okay, how about this; why were you on your roof, crying like a little baby about being weak?"

"Well I… I wasn't crying like a little baby!" I shout, enraged as the full insult sinks in. "I was… crying like a man. A manly man." Damn you, Elfman. You're a bad influence. "What I mean to say is that I wasn't crying, but merely reflecting upon my failures."

"And what failures are those?"

"I… I lost control," I admit, wringing my hands. "I couldn't keep my composure with such evil men. I would have killed someone if Elfman hadn't stopped me. On top of that, I'm a weakling. My mother is so much stronger than me. My father too. I'm not even in their league even for when they were my age. I heard about it all. Deloria, the Tower of Heaven, Tenrou Island, The Games, E.N.D, all of it. My mother was a legend. I'm nothing compared to her."

"It's undeniably true that your mother was a one in a million. I can count on one hand the people who are stronger than her. But do you understand that it's not a fair goal to aspire to? You've never been pushed like she has – you've never seen the depths of your strength. And you're much stronger than a lot of our guild. Shit son, I'm almost fifty and there's no doubt that you could kick my ass all over the place!"

I'm a little annoyed. This is little more than a thinly veiled counselling attempt by someone that I don't know. I turn around, presenting my back to him. "Go away. I'm done talking."

"Fine, you don't want to talk to me. That's fine. My way with words isn't that brilliant. Um… have you been to the library yet?" 

"Psh, why would I want to go there?"

"Are you kidding!?" Jet cries, leaping to his feet. "The best person in the world lives there! Calm down Jet, you've got a wife now… damn childhood crushes… but if you want to talk about your problems, talk to the librarian. She's the best, kindest and smartest person in the world. She'll set you straight."

"Go away! Why would I want to talk to some stupid librarian!? Leave me alone!" Look, I'll admit this wasn't my proudest moment, but I was at a low point. I was tired and unhappy. Jet grins and looks into the distance, towards that park.

"Tell you what; see the big tree in the park? I'll race you. If I beat you there, you have to go to the library. If you win, I'll leave you alone."

Well, my male pride is suitable stirred and I stand, smiling smugly. "Fine, moron. You've challenged the wrong person to a footrace. Meteor!" Blazing golden, I leap from rooftop to rooftop in a blaze of speed. Hah! There's no way that old fuddy-duddy can keep up with me! I'll be there in five, four, three, two… WHAT THE FUCK!?

Jet's already there, mock-sleeping against the base of the tree. Cocky asshole. How the fuck had he beaten me here? He pretends to wake up, yawning and stretching. Alright, I get it. Stop showing off. He looks up at the tree and pats the bark with a fond smile.

"A big event happened here, because I was weak. Droy was weak. We couldn't stop our most cherished Nakama from being hurt. That day, everything changed. The day that we met Gajeel Redfox."

Gajeel!? I look at the tree. Gajeel had mentioned an unforgivable sin in his past. Something that he'd needed to overcome. A person that had forgiven him the most horrendous of crimes. Was this the person Jet was talking about?

"Hey… this librarian… is she Gajeel's wife?" I ask. Jet nods wordlessly. I can't help but picture an evil woman, like Gajeel plus boobs. "W-what's she like?" 

"One in a billion, if you ask me. But you'll find out yourself soon enough, since you've lost our bet, right?" I frown and nod. Damn, but I will do it. Jet puts a hand on my shoulder. "Gabriel. If you want to talk about weakness, and how to overcome it, there is no better person on this planet that Mrs Levy Redfox." Suddenly, he spits. "Damn it, saying Redfox after Levy still hurts, after all these years!"

Levy Redfox, eh? Oh well, at least I'll finally meet Gajeel's fabled wife!

**===Author's Note===**

**For those who don't know my work, Levy is my favourite character in the series. This chapter is basically the set up for her chapter, since I didn't want to rush Gabriel's sudden depression too much. **

**Expect the next chapter to be rather lengthy. Disproportional to her role in the series.**

**Gajeel: Or her height!**

**Fuck off, Gajeel! **

**Funny anecdote. After Gabriel curses Elfman's influence, I misspelt 'mean' as 'man'. Damn you, Elfman. You win this round! *shakes fist***

**===Replies to Reviews===**

**Ulcaasi: **I grant you that you are correct, however, I can make the excuse that this wasn't my fault, but Elfman's. He simply used the wrong word for the situation. And you're going to hold a simple misspeak against such a manly man? What an asshole. *looks shifty*

**SakuraIchigoDark: **…see a therapist. A good one.

**Fire Girl 108: **Well, you'll have to! Mwahahahaha!

**Neko-chan2604: **MAAAAAAAAAAAANNNNNNNNNNN!


	14. The Bookworm Lacking in Height

**The Future Guild**

**Chapter 14**

**The Bookworm Lacking in Height**

Well, I'd lost the bet with Jet. Hey, that rhymed! Shut up, I'm no poet and I know it, so that's why I'm going to the library. It was a large set of double doors off the main guild hall. Outside, the building was enormous, so I guess the library accounted for a large portion of the building. I push open the doors and my guess is instantly confirmed.

The library is a huge, double level place, a mezzanine. The doors open on the second floor, leading down immediately to the ground floor so that you get a commanding view of the place. There's a few people here – I can see Fried – but compared to the roughly two hundred people in the main hall, it's a little shameful. I head down to the ground floor to see if I can find the librarian.

"Can I help you find something?" I turn around at the gentle female voice. There's a small girl behind me. Positively tiny, in fact. She has long, wavy cerulean blue hair tied back by a bright pink headband. Her face is lit up by a positive demeanour, as if she's incredibly happy to meet a complete stranger. She's cute, but probably too young for me.

"Oh, uh hi. I'm looking for the librarian."

"That's me!" She replies brightly. I blink, a little confused. Maybe she hadn't heard me right.

"No, I said the librarian."

"I heard you, I am the librarian."

I shake my head. "No, the person I'm looking for is named Levy Redfox. She's supposed to be married to Gajeel Redfox and has an eighteen year old son. So, she has to be at least forty."

"Actually, I'm thirty eight," the girl says. She sighs slightly. "I'm just one of those people who doesn't age very much."

"B-b-but," I stammer, gesturing with my hands. "Gajeel is like this. And you're like that!"

She giggles. "We match perfectly, don't you think?"

Now that I think about it, she has the same hair as Tacks. Oh the hell, she actually is the one that I'm looking for! But she's so utterly different from Gajeel that I'd never imagined it. Gajeel's 'half a person' jokes are making a lot more sense now, as is Tack's more pleasant demeanour. Aiko's all Gajeel, though. Still, it's hard to imagine these two being a couple.

Levy takes me to a little seating area, giving me a glimpse of the library. My understanding of the situation is that Lucy ordered the libraries' construction when she became Guild Master, and it definitely cost a pretty penny. Not to mention that it's very well maintained.

"So, what did you come to see me for, Gabriel?" She didn't mention how she knew who I was. I mean, I've probably been mentioned to her by Gajeel or Lucy. I'm not sure how to answer. I've been told that I need to talk to her, but I'm not really sure why. I mean, it's not like I'm depressed or anything! I'm just… "It must be tough, living away from your parents for the first time."

"I, uh… I guess that is true…"

"Do you want to talk about it?" Holy shit, her eyes. They're so clear, so disarming. The smile, the way she tilts her head in curiosity. She might be the world's greatest listener.

"It's… nothing…"

"It's alright. I have time."

I sigh. "I… It's just that I've heard about my mother's exploits in her youth. She was supposed to be the strongest in her generation. I'm nothing compared to her. My father too, was much stronger than me at this age."

"Your mother wasn't the strongest. She was the strongest woman, but if we call Makarov and Gildartz different generations, then Laxus was still the strongest of her generation. And it's important to note that you're still three years younger than she was during the defining events of our generation. You'll grow and develop a lot over the next few years. Also, she's a woman, so she developed quicker than a male would."

Wow… that's pretty comprehensive. "Wait, do girls grow faster than men?"

"Well, not me," she replies with a twinkle in her eye, "but I suppose you might not have a great science education out in the sticks. Women do grow faster than men. Not women with my genetics, apparently, but we do. Natsu and Gajeel caught up to her eventually. Though, I suspect that Erza is still the strongest."

"What… what does 'genetics' mean?"

"Oh dear. Genetics are how we inherit things from our parents. I make it a point of pride that our library is stocked with books on the most up to date scientific learning. If you want to borrow some, please just ask."

"Wait, does that mean that you can tell me why I have purple eyes even though Mum and Dad don't?"

"Yep. It's simply that each of your parents carries the gene for purple eyes, but it's recessive. So, there was a one in four… you know, I can see that I'm losing you. I'll pick out some books for you later."

"You really like books, huh?" She bursts out laughing at the question. Perhaps it had been a bit of an understatement, looking at it now.

"Stories, Biographies, Textbooks, Cookbooks, Spell books, I've read them all. There's so much to be found in books. Not just the fantasy worlds we can lose ourselves in, but the eons of knowledge passed down by the greatest thinkers of our world. I truly believe that anyone can be a better person by reading."

"I… I must admit that I don't read too much."

"Your brain is a muscle, Gabriel. If you don't exercise it, how can it get stronger?" I nod slowly, a little shame-faced. She smiles good-naturedly. "But I think that we're skipping past a lot. How are you feeling?"

"You've just explained why I shouldn't feel bad that I'm weak."

"Gabriel! A logical explanation isn't going to make all of your bad feelings go away! Your words just said a lot to me. Before, I thought you were just comparing yourself to your mother. Now, you actually think that you are weak?"

"I am." I wring my hands, avoiding eye contact. Levy leans forward.

"Now, you listen to me. You are not weak. You are very strong. I've heard about the incident with the Wolf Pact." I jump slightly. Who had told her that? "The reason that you lost control is because you were strong. Your heart could not bear such evil. I think perhaps it's your mind that could use a little work. You have a warrior's body and a hero's heart." I don't answer. "Then again, I've grown up with your mother, just like you have. It's not a relationship that bears mental strength. The four a.m. training sessions, the spars…"

"I know, right!?" I cry, surprising both of us. "Seriously, she once decided that I needed to work on my elemental resistance, so she tied me to a metal pole in a lightning storm!"

"I… I've done that too," Levy says with a brief shudder at a repressed memory.

"Wait, you grew up with my mum?"

"Yep. I'm probably her oldest friend, except for those she met at the Tower of Heaven. We're the two longest running residents of Fairy Hills. Your mother… she is an exceptional woman, and I would tell anyone not to compare themselves to her too closely."

"But I'm not just anyone! I'm her son! I have those genetic thingies, so I should be like her, right?"

Levy surprises me. She tilts her head and smiles. "I think that you're just like her. A strong body and a strong heart. But… crap social skills!" For a moment, I blush angrily at the insult, but I realise what she is saying. Is it true? Am I really like my mum? As if reading my mind, she answers. "Of course, you have a little Jerral in you too. But I think the lion share of you is like your mum."

"That's cuz I'm a lion!" I respond instantly. I watch her expression fall briefly at how stupid and inane my comment was. Which it was, damn me. Wait, lions! The question! "Hey, I met you husband a while back. He told me to ask you something."

"Gabriel, I swear to Mavis that if this is a short joke…"

"No! He asked me which was cooler; a lion or a giraffe."

She pales angrily. "The question is supposed to be lion or hippo! He changed it to a giraffe because he's so much taller than me, damn him! But the question relates to which would you rather spend time with. Sure, a lion might be cooler or more badass, but it's dangerous. A lion will not allow a bird to sit on its fangs. A hippo would."

"I don't understand," I admit. Damn, I'm not the brightest kid.

"It's about kindness, Gabriel. I'm the bird in this case; small, delicate. The hippo will allow me to ride on him, to carry me with him. A lion would not. The fact that the lion is cool is irrelevant. Who would want a murderous beast for a friend?"

"Ah, I see why he changed it to giraffe. You know, because he's so tall and you're so short – WAIT DON'T KILL ME!"

"Yes, I can see that you've met my daughter. Don't worry, I've long become used to my failings. I'm small, and I'm weak too. I was never strong, but I've been a mother and a librarian for two decades now. I've not exercised my magical power, so I'm even weaker now than I ever was."

"Please don't speak of yourself so lowly, Levy-sensei." I turn at this new voice. It's a boy, with a dark, reddish complexion which makes his green eyes really stand out. His hair is pale brown, drawn back into a ponytail. He's about Levy's height and carries a sword at his waist which looks too big for him.

"Frederick! Is it time for our lesson?"

The boy ignores the question to look at me. "Levy-sensei is one of the most skilled practitioners of written magic in the whole world. Even if she has low magical power, she can cast spells above her weight class. She'd destroy you with an instantaneous Amaterasu seal."

"Frederick, please…"

"Amaterasu!? Isn't that the strongest written magic!? You can cast it in an instant!? But mum told me that even old man Makarov couldn't do that!" Levy looks really bashful. It's easy to see that she's not the sort of person who likes talking about herself arrogantly. So I look back at the boy. "Who are you?"

"Frederick Justine. I am a user of Oriental Solid Script and Levy-sensei is my teacher." He speaks very severely and formally. By the name, I think this kid is the adoptive son of Fried. So, he's one of the new Thunder Legion. "I don't like people underestimating my sensei."

I doubt that this kid has much of a sense of humour. He's very serious. Still, he makes me curious as to what hidden depths there are to Levy's strength. It's true that I'd assumed that she was very weak when I first saw her, and she told me that herself. And yet, she's so bright and confident that it's hard to believe that there isn't something backing that up. Levy is looking quite embarrassed and wanting to steer the conversation a different way.

"Gabriel! Did you hear that I'm the editor of a monthly magazine that Fairy Tail publishes? My reporters, Jet and Droy have both tried to get comment from you. I'm going to publish a piece on you coming to the guild – it's the biggest news we've had for quite a while."

"You make it sound like I'd be some kind of celebrity."

"All guild mages are in the public eye to some degree. Do you know that we used to have toys made of us? It always creeped me out a little, so I'm glad that we've stopped doing that, but expect the people of Magnolia to treat you like a public figure. For better or worse. Still, I need a title for the piece. Any ideas?"

"I guess Gabriel the Lion has turned into Gabriel the Hippo," I mope, placing my head into my hands.

"You know, there is a third option." I look up at Levy's words. She smiles. "Do you honestly believe that Gajeel is a placid herbivore? No, he is the most violent of wild beasts. And yet, he treats me kindly. Isn't that a contradiction? We aren't lions or hippos or anything like that. We are humans. At times, we are wildly contradictory. If I may be so vain, while am physically weak, I am mentally very strong. Gajeel is strong, but a long time ago, his heart was weak. He is violent, but also kind. So, how about we call you Gabriel the Kind Lion?"

"Great speech, but that's a dumb-ass name," I deadpan.

"Sensei isn't good with names," Frederick agrees, breaking his stoicism. "The main criticism of the magazine is the titles."

"No! Why does everyone say that!?" Levy cries, making herself unintentionally adorable. "I'm good with names!" She puffs out her cheeks in annoyance. "Fine. I'll rethink the title. But the point stands. A lion can be kind to its pride and only bare its fangs to the outside world, to those that would hurt its family."

"So… all of this metaphor was absolutely pointless?" I growl, frustrated. "You're telling me to be nice to my friends and to fight my enemies? What sorta obvious bullshit moral is that?"

Levy smiled, as if I hadn't said anything rude. "I'm afraid I'm scheduled to teach Frederick now, so I'll have to go. I'll get your address from Mira and send you a few books that I think might help you. You could do with a little basic education, I think. And maybe a few novels I think a young boy would like."

I could see that she wanted to go on, a list dozens long before her eyes. I stand up to leave. I'm not sure if talking to Levy has helped or not. We've just sort of waffled on about nothing. She seems to think that we've spoken enough. Is it that she's too clever and I haven't understood the full impact of her words?

"Thank you for the talk. You're very kind."

"Gabriel, this library is a quiet, safe place for anyone in the guild. If you ever feel that things are too much, please come here for solitude. If you ever want to talk, I'm always here and always willing to share a few words. I do love words, after all."

"Mom!" There's a huge crashing noise as Aiko slams the door to the library open and thunders down the stairs. Levy flushes with annoyance, shushing her daughter. Aiko merely grins and ruffles her mother's hair. Now that they're standing side by side, I can see that Aiko is a bit taller than her mother, and then has heels on top of that.

"Sorry, Shorty! I always forget to be quiet! Tacks wants to know if Nashi can come around for dinner tonight."

"Yes, and don't call me Shorty. You're worse than your father." Empathy is a concept that seems to be missing from Aiko's repertoire. I called her short and she was going to rip my balls off. But she mocks her mother for the same thing. I wonder where she gets _that _from.

"But you're short, Shorty!" Aiko retorts gleefully, smiling. Because her eyes are closed, she doesn't see the purple rings of script magic surround her in a very contained explosion. Charred, Aiko gasps and falls over onto the floor comically.

I look at Levy in amazement. She had just cast an Amaterasu level seal so fast that I never saw it happen. And this was a woman who called herself weak. Was seen as weak by the guild. But inside, she was monstrously strong. An immense contradiction, if I'd ever heard of one.

What was I trying to become? A friend? A guild mate? A warrior? A lion? Were those things contradictory, or could I become them all? Wasn't that what my mother was? A warrior goddess, beloved by all that she met? I'd heard that strength and feelings were linked, but I'd never felt it before. Is this why mum and dad wanted me to come to the guild?

I finger the armour charm hanging around my neck. Does mum believe that I'll gain the strength here to use this? Does anyone else here use requip magic to help me learn? No. No, that's not the point. Talking to Levy, I feel that I'm one step closer to figuring it out.

**===Author's Note===**

**Massively disappointed. I don't feel that I wrote this chapter well at all :( Which is a bummer, since Levy is my favourite character.**

**I'm trying to not swamp the reader with OC children. Remember, if you need help remembering who is who, the link to their profile gallery is still in my user profile. Frederick Justine is there, if you need additional info on him.**

**Is the title mean? I couldn't help myself! XD**

**===Replies to Reviews===**

**Fire Girl 108: **Erza is a hard name to live up to, that's for sure.

**SakuraIchigoDark: **I think we've spoken about you correctly guessing my plots before. GET OUT OF MY HEAD

**lexi loves anime: **Well, it wasn't very funny, but thank you for the follow anyway!

**Ulcaasi: **I've become predictable. Well, time to fake my own death and start a new life.

**Tomoyo10798: **Levy _is _the best!


	15. The Grandfather Steeped in Legend

**The Future Guild**

**Chapter 15**

**The Grandfather Steeped in Legend**

"Wow, it's quiet in here today," I say as I enter the guild. I've never seen it like this. It's like a ghost town. A complete and utter change from the normally vibrant and bustling guild hall. Even that tall, Native-American looking guy isn't by the job board. And he's always by the job board.

Most of the youngsters are around. Aiko is showing off Kara's new ear piercing. Ignale is playing with Merry in a way that is much cuter than anything I'd expected from him. I think the kitten is changing him.

Nashi and Tacks are sitting together again. They're such close friends. She's really pretty and all, but I think it would be too complicated to go and pursue her. She probably loves Tacks without even realising it. That, or the poor bastard has been friend-zoned. Karren watches from behind a pillar.

I think the most telling thing is when I go to the bar and order a drink, only to find that even Mira has gone out on a mission. The person who is running the bar is her daughter. Which, if you remember, is the incredibly powerful and incredibly annoyed-looking Laura Dreyar. She's wearing an apron and expression which says that she'll kill me if I try and order anything.

I'm not that thirsty.

"Aren't you going to order anything?" She growls as I turn around.

"I-I don't want to bother you…" I mumble.

"If you go away because of me, I'll be angry and take it out on you."

"If I order, you'll be angry and take it out on me anyway."

"Yes. Now, one way you end up with a drink, so I'd choose that option." Well, it's hard to argue with that logic, so I go ahead and order a beer. Before you say, the legal drinking age in Fiore is fifteen. Just ask Cana. Laura slams it onto the bar. "Sit. Talk to me."

"Isn't Bea around?" I ask. Laura shrugs. Really? I have to talk to Laura? She's easily the scariest person here, including Aiko. What is it with the womenfolk in this guild? She cleans a glass in a stereotypic barkeep fashion. "So? How are you finding Fairy Tail?"

"Um, it's okay. I think that I've met everyone now. Tell me if I'm missing anyone important." I begin to list of the names of the people I've met. Laura nods along, commenting that Jet and Droy didn't constitute important people and looked offended by the time I'd finished. "What is it? Have I left anyone important?"

"Only the most important member ever!" She cries, looking even angrier. She rips off her apron and throws it over the bar, landing on Aiko. "Hey, watch the bar, Shortstack!"

"I am not short!" Aiko shouts back angrily, iron scales already beginning to spread over her skin. Purple lightning glitters around Laura and Aiko meekly backs down. Holy shit… just how strong is Laura!? I don't think that a Chimera or Wyvern would frighten Aiko, and she'd relish fighting a Dragon, but Laura scares her?

"You. Come with me," Laura orders.

Oh, fantastic. I don't even get to finish my drink.

**===][===**

Now, I thought that this would be a short trip. Maybe we were going to visit someone in Magnolia. Nope. We catch a train down to Harjeon, which is a coastal city. We don't talk much along the way, and Laura won't tell me who we're going to see. Even when we get there, it's more walking, along the coast and out of the city itself.

I have no idea what we're doing. Who lives here? I can see along the cliffs that form the coastline and there are no houses anywhere to be seen. No one could live here. There's this single tree along the cliff edge, growing out and over the edge. It's not until I get closer that I can see that a single gravestone sits in its shadow. It's carved from dark marble, the Fairy Tail emblem clear on the surface.

Laura stands a respectful distance back as I step forward to read the inscription.

_Here Lies Makarov Dreyar_

_X696-X803_

_Beloved father, grandfather and great grandfather_

_The Third and Sixth Guildmaster_

_Father to all those he took in_

"He lived to be over a hundred?" I ask gently. "Umm… a hundred and seven?"

"A hundred. Don't forget the seven years. Never slowed down for a moment," Laura says proudly. "He was amazing."

"Why is he buried here, though? This is the middle of nowhere."

"He isn't buried here. This is just a ceremonial tombstone, so that we can visit him." Laura raised a hand, pointing over the ocean. "Out there, on Tenroujima is where all Fairy Tail Guild masters are buried. Well… the two that have passed away, anyway."

"Wait… Lucy's the seventh, right? How can only two be out there?"

"I didn't come out here to give you a history lesson?" She growls, annoyed. Then her eyes drop to look at the tombstone and she sighs. "Alright Gramps, I'll play nice. The first master, Mavis Vermillion is buried out there. The second master, Purehito left us a long time ago. Gramps is the third and sixth. The fourth and fifth are Macao and Gildartz, both still alive."

"That's… complicated," I admit. "Wait, I haven't met Macao. If he's the guild master, isn't he important too?"

"No," Laura deadpans. "Compared to Gramps, no other guild master compares in my opinion."

"What was he like?"

"Crotchety. Short. Perverted."

"Laura."

"What? All of those things were true. He was also kind and generous, and loved all of us deeply." Did you know that he used Titan, like you do?"

"I'd heard. I can't do it like he could, though. I heard that he was able to single-handedly wrestle a dragon into submission."

Laura scowls and looks at me as if I'm an idiot. "Then you have a lot to learn about dragons, fool. They're resistant to all forms of magic except for dragon slaying magic. I love Gramps dearly, but he didn't beat a dragon. Dumbass. I should kick your ass for making me say that here of all places."

"S-sorry."

She stares at me for a few moments later, but then softens. "Mum and Dad always told me that Gramps was the only one who could calm me down when I was a child. He was so sage and wise, or at least he gave that impression. I suppose he had his own silly moments. But… he wasn't just my Great Grandfather. He was everyone's dad."

"Mum told me that," I agree. "Most of the guild members from her generation were orphans. Fairy Tail was their family. I never thought about it, but I guess I'm lucky to have two parents who love me."

"If you were in Fairy Tail, then you always had at least one parent who loved you. That was Gramps."

"I wish that I had a chance to meet him."

"You might. Just hang around for a while." 

"What!?" I cry. "How can I meet him if he's dead!?" 

Laura grins. "On Tenroujima, the dead don't always rest easy, you know. Master Mavis has visited the guild before. The power of our guild is amazing."

We sit there for a while in silence. It's a lovely place, with the vast blue sky and deep Cerulean Ocean, the single tree a mournful icon in the landscape. It's a place to remember and reminisce. Out there, over the ocean waves is the holy ground of the guild. I hope that I'll get to visit it one day. After a long time, Laura finally speaks again.

"Do you know why I got my guild mark on my hand?" She shows me the back of her right hand, where a yellow guild crest is emblazoned. I shake my head. "Gramps taught us a pose. It's to remember that wherever you go, the guild is with you."

She stands up and puts her right hand into the sky, forefinger and thumb extended. I mirror her posture.

"Fairy Tail!" She yells out over the ocean.

"Fairy Tail!" I roar after her, my voice drowning out the crashing waves. I grin like a madman. There's something very cathartic about the act. She notices my expression.

"Never forget that feeling. Fairy Tail is a family. You mess with one of us, you mess with all of us."

"You know, you're much wiser than you look." OW! I clutch my head as a huge bump protrudes from her sharp blow. Good job, Gabriel. Way to ruin the moment. Maybe it's my imagination, but I can almost hear the laughter of an old man on the breeze. Laura's already leaving, though, so I hurry after her.

**===][===**

**About a week earlier, under Magnolia**

It was glorious. The speckled shell of the egg began to crack and fracture. Urien watched on with glee as the occupant began to emerge. Red scales became visible and wings flexed to break the shell wide open.

A Ruby Dragon was born.

"Oh my, you are beautiful," Urien crooned. The dragon's blunt and round head turned to regard the human before it. Even a few seconds old, the dragon was twice Urien's size, and he was not a small man. Suddenly, it lurched forward, mouth opening to bite. Urien raised a hand. "I am the Beastmaster and I command you to stop."

A millimetre before killing him, the dragon stopped and shuddered. Urien was somewhat amazed. Most beasts fell under his control in an instant. He'd been suffusing the egg with his magic for months and still the beast was resisting him. But, it made it all so worthwhile. This power to resist him was the power he wanted to control.

"You need a name, don't you, boy?" The dragon snarled, not yet knowing language. Urien cocked his head. As a master of beasts, he thought that he could understand the objection. The dragon was female. He wasn't exactly au fait with dragon anatomy, but he was extremely experienced with all manner of large reptilian monsters. Hmm, he also wasn't a master of names. If this was a Ruby dragon, something to do with that. "How about Rubika?" The dragon snarled again. "I don't think she likes my name, Ekor."

"Apparently not, master," his minion wheedled, unsure what to say.

"If you have any suggestions?"

"Um... if it's a powerful female with red skin… how about… Scarlet, master?"

"Shut up!" Urien snapped. "That's not funny. This beast will help me wash the world of those Fairies. I don't want reminders of them. How about… Corundum?" This time, the dragon made no aggressive gesture and merely snorted. "I think she likes it!"

"Ekor is glad, master. Ekor must remind you that phase two is in full effect. Your window of opportunity is narrow. Ekor estimates about a week for the optimal time."

Phase two referred to a simple, but effective plan to flood Fairy Tail with fake job requests, each specifically tailored to a certain mage. In this manner, all of their most powerful mages would be gone at the same time, leaving the guild vulnerable.

"Good. In that time, Corundum will double in size and become more firmly entrenched under my influence. She'll make a lovely addition to all my other beasts." Arrayed around the podium with the eggshell were hundreds of cages, each containing large, powerful and dangerous beasts. An army, all marching to the same beat. "Ekor! Is the Shard ready?"

"Yes, master!" Ekor affirmed gladly. The final occupant of the room was an enormous crystal, pulsating with a pinkish hue. It had one very specific role. There was one mage that Urien could not make leave the guild. This stone would render her harmless. Urien grinned like a madman.

"Then, in one week, we shall launch phase three, and Fairy Tail will fall!"

**===Author's Note===**

**I think I should have put this section with the last chapter. I messed up my timings a bit. I just felt that having the dragon fighting the same day as being born seemed a little unlikely. So, this happened a week ago. God, I suck.**

**I planned on Corundum being a Ruby dragon for ages, but only recently realised how I could connect that to Erza, as Ekor noted. BTW, Corundum is a science-y word to do with rubies. It's not just random letters. Corundum looks a lot like Motherglare, but smaller and red.**

**I hate to say this, but I think this story will be ending soon. Not because I'm bored, but because it's reaching the natural end of its life. And I'll probably have to shift into a more permanent third-person narrative to cover the action properly. The good news is, I'm fairly sure that it's going to be EPIC, and I hope that you'll agree. **

**===Replies to Reviews===**

**Lexie loves anime**: In cartoon land, violence is adorable.

**Sakuraichigodark: **You might say… she has a short temper! *puts on sunglasses* Yeeeeeeeeahhh!

**Ulcaasi: **Some people age really well. Asian women in particular. Not that I think the FT cast are Asian (Mashima's been pretty good in mixing in stereotypes) but I just feel that Levy is short and petite and cute, meaning that she'll never age… until she's like sixty or something.

**Guest: **Dragon egg – hatched.

**Tomoyo10798: **Aiko grew up with Gajeel, so she is used to making fun of Levy's height and assumed that she would grow up to be tall. But she didn't. But she has no empathy, so makes fun of anyone shorter than her and kills anyone who calls her short -.-

The only ship in my kids is Tacks x Nashi, with a bit of tension from Gabriel and Karren.

**Guest: **I do like that idea very much. The only reason that I'm not going with that is that the staves would pretty much require him to be use five-layered circle spells, which don't feel very Gabriel-y.


	16. The Fox Leading the Charge

**The Future Guild**

**Chapter 16**

**The Fox Leading the Charge**

**Right, from now on I'll be jumping around on who's narrating. I'll put the name of the narrator in each paragraph break. If there's no name, then it means that it's in the third person.**

**===]Gabriel Scarlet[===**

"It's still so quiet."

A day had passed and the guild hall was if anything, even emptier than before. It was eerie. I should have preferred this to the rowdy guild hall, but it felt so… wrong. Fairy Tail should not be so quiet. It should be raucous and wild and loud. I decide to head up to the office and speak with Lucy. I knock on her door. She calls for me to enter, so I do.

She looks rather frazzled. There's a mountain of paperwork on her desk, no doubt the cause of everyone's disappearance.

"Is it often this busy?" I ask.

"Never. In the last decade I've never experienced anything quite like this. Even when it's been super busy, like after any of the Grand Magic Games, the hall was still packed. But there's been so many missions for more than a week away. Even Wendy and Levy have gone out and I can't remember the last time they've gone on missions." She frowns and looks up at me. "I didn't notice at first. One guy left, then another. Only now do I realise how many have gone. I don't like it. This doesn't feel right at all."

"Is it that bad?"

"Perhaps not. Normally, I guess this wouldn't be a big problem, but we've recently conducted a purge on a dark guild. I'm worried about potential reprisals. We never caught their guild master."

"I don't know who this guy is, but we obliterated his guild. He can't be all that threatening with whatever he has left." At my cocky proclamation, Lucy pulls out a flier from a draw and hands it me. It's a wanted poster for Urien Rakarth, the Beastmaster.

There's a picture. He's tall and broad and dresses like Tarzan or something. Animal-hide britches and a large fur cloak over an exposed torso. His hair is black and wild, as if he's been living in the wilderness for years. He looks more like an animal than a human.

"He doesn't look like all that much trouble."

"He's an S-rank wizard, Gabriel. His list of crimes goes back for about five years. He seems to hate humans, seeing us as a plague upon the planet. His goal in life is to wipe us all out. Wolf Pact was little more than a front, I'm sure. Makes him money and gets people killed. But, his main aim is the hoarding of wild beasts. He's not called the Beastmaster for nothing."

Yeah, reading the flier it seems that his main magical ability is to control animals. It seems cruel to me. I've grown up around nature and I love it. Using animals to kill humans seems as harmful to his minions as to us. If he was a real man, he'd face us head on himself! But I doubt he has the guts to… what's that rumbling?

Lucy leaps up from behind her desk and drags me out of the office. As she does so, a pink-haired maid appears next to her.

"Virgo! Is that an earthquake?"

"No, princess. There is no seismic activity in this area. Is that grounds for a punishment?"

"Not now, Virgo," Lucy mumbles distractedly, banishing her spirit and heading out to the balcony overlooking the city. There's a titanic cloud of dust rising over Magnolia. As we wait for it to settle, the others run up on to the balcony, mostly the kids from my generation. Only a few adults remain. Finally, we can see what has happened.

An enormous section in Magnolia's centre has fallen into a sinkhole. People were fleeing the sloping streets.

"This is terrible!" Nashi cries. "We have to help those people!"

"Wait!" Lucy snapped. "Virgo said that there wasn't any seismic activity. Something else is going on here." As if to underline her words, something was rising out of the sink hole. A large, pinkish crystal set within rotating bands of metal inscribed with runes. Was that a lachryma? As it went, a trail of dust and rocks was swept up in its wake, creating something almost like a staircase of debris. I suppose that it had just been caught up in whatever magic let the thing levitate.

Then the lachryma activated.

An actinic flash of light that blinded my senses momentarily. I could see the sky darken, becoming red and heavy with black clouds. What was the meaning of that? Then I see Lucy take a sudden step to her left, seemingly having stumbled. A moment passes and she falls to the ground.

"Mum!" Ignale and Nashi shout at the same time. Lucy is gasping heavily, trying to catch her breath. Sweat glistens on her skin. What the hell had just happened?

"That… device…" she pants, "It's… cut off the Celestial World!" What!? Is such a thing possible? Looking into the sky, I can see blue on the horizon. Whatever this thing is doing, it's creating a shadow only in the local area. If we can get Lucy out of that circle, she should be fine. I quickly relay that information to those around me.

"No!" Lucy shouts. "I am the master… I must protect…"

"There's something else coming!" Tacks shouts. Out of the sinkhole, from beneath the streets of Magnolia, a host of monsters ascend on leathery wings. Manticores, Wyverns, Hippogryphs, Griffons, Chimerae and plenty more. Climbing over the broken ground are more. Hydras, Carnosaurs, Sphynxes, Giant Spiders and Scorpions. It's like an infernal zoo of the most horrific creatures to exist.

And last, one more plunges into the sky. Compared to many around it, it's small. Still, it somehow drags notice to it, so obvious it is. Garnet scales glitter in the sunlight. It's Aiko of course who makes the obvious proclamation.

"Dragon!" She cries gleefully.

It's small, though. It can't be that old. It's about the size of an elephant and upon its back it bears a rider, the very one whose picture I had just been looking at. Urien Rakarth, the Beastmaster. Even knowing about his magic, to think that he could control this many beasts at the same time…

"What do we do?" Bea asks.

"We go and kick ass!" Laura declares, making Aiko nod violently in agreement.

"What about mum!?" Ignales shouts angrily, Merry perching on his shoulder.

"We wanna help!" Sascha and Mischa cry.

"It's too dangerous for you – you're too young!" Asuka puts in.

It's a cacophony. Everyone is shouting over everyone else. See? This is why I hate noise. With their leader down, this guild is useless. The fact that we are all young is no excuse. There is no leadership here and-

"Silence!" The shout cracks out like thunder. It was Tacks who had snapped. He turns to the small group of adults present. "I'm sorry, but I need you to take the Master down to the infirmary. Stay here and protect her if it comes to that. Asuka?"

"Y-yes?"

"You're the oldest here. I want you to take the twins and the new Thunder Legion. They're too young to fight, so get them to that lachryma and blow it up. Sis, Ignale. You know what you two have to do."

"Leave the dragon to us," Ignale swears standing up from his mother. Nashi watches as she is taken away, but turns her attention to Tacks. I don't blame her. The young Redfox is like a general. Normally, he is softly spoken and gentle, but now I can see his father's blood coursing through his veins. This is what you get when you cross Gajeel's bloody-mindedness with Levy's intellect, huh?

"Now! Everyone else with me!" As with any good leader, Tacks takes the first leap from the rooftop. "Spread out, stop the monsters and protect the civilians! Fairy Tail!"

"Fairy Tail!" The other kids jump off one by one. I take a moment to smile and follow after them.

**===][===**

Up in the sky, Urien watched with glee as his monsters began to tear through Magnolia, bulldozing through buildings and people with little effort. It wouldn't be long now until the city fell. He mused on when the Fairies would return to find their city a burning wreck. It would be so funny! He could see the looks on their faces now.

He began to hear noises of combat. The last trickle of Fairies were engaging his beasts. But what could a handful of children accomplish? They would soon fall, and then he'd head to the guild to tear it brick from brick and kill its ailing master.

Laughing, he spurred Corundum on to kill.

**===]Nashi Dragneel[===**

As we all left the guild, I felt a lot of trouble in my heart. I'd never seen my mum like that. She was always so strong, so in control. Even knowing that the condition wasn't fatal, it didn't ease my worry. I hoped that she would be alright.

I was nervous. Despite being one of the oldest, I know that I'm probably the weakest here. I'm scared that I can't support my friends well enough. I'd been following Tacks, but he'd told us to split up. Summoning my courage, I prepare to head a different way to see if I can help anyone.

"Nashi, stay by my side." I look up in surprise. Tacks hadn't looked back at me when he'd spoken. "I know I said to split up, but I need you by my side. I'm not strong enough alone."

Oh, Tacks. You've never realised just how strong you are, have you? Being in a guild with monsters like our parents, Laura and having a slayer for a sister has blinded you to your own strength. I should know. We've been friends since we were born. Our mums always brought us together to play, ever since they'd put letter blocks in front of us and see who could spell the best!

The wall next to us suddenly collapses, serpentine heads snaking through to snap with sharp teeth. It's a Hydra! Each snake head belongs to the same massive beast. If it had been aiming for me, it might have succeeded. But it had been aiming for Tacks. I might have stopped to try and parry the heads. But Tacks wasn't fooled for a second and leapt through the heads, to the body behind them.

"Style of the Red Flame: Nova Burst!" There's an intense blaze of red flames as Tacks connects and the entire beast is hurled back through the building that it had come from. See what I'm saying? Tacks is plenty strong. He's just never realised it. Maybe these beasts aren't that tough after all!

Just as I'm thinking that, the Hydra's mother rears over the building. Oh. It's easily ten times the size and understandably rather angry. Nine mouths open and an inferno roils forth, engulfing Tacks. It travels back through the building on the other side of the street. I cry out his name – a good strategy for catching momma hydra's undivided attention. She doesn't charge, seemingly studying me with cold, reptilian intellect.

"You! Don't look down on me! Celestial Barrage!" A cloud of dozens of stars materialize around me and shoot forth to impact the beast multiple times. Scales crater under the blasts, but nothing more. If it didn't look so pissed it might have been amused. Its mouths open and a tidal wave of fire hurtles down the street right towards me.

**===][===**

"_Redfox! Redfox! Oi, pay attention to me!" Whack. Tacks howls in pain as Totomaru slaps him over the back of the head with his cane. Having got his student's attention again, he slaps the stick into the blackboard. "I sure hope you've been paying attention to all of this magical theory, son of Gajeel, cuz I swear that I'm gonna test you on it!"_

"_Oh no, a test!" Tacks says with the malicious grin of a ten-year old. Whack. "Hey, stop hitting me! I understand all of it already! The theory is the easy part!"_

_Totomaru grins. "Yes, maybe for you it is. You've inherited your mother's brain by the looks of it. Your problem is not here, in the classroom, is it?"_

"_You don't know!" Tacks shouted hotly. "Everyone else is so strong compared to me! My body isn't as strong. Laura's a demon and even my own sister…. My little sister is stronger than me! Do you know what that's like!?"_

"_How can you expect to be a strong mage without confidence in yourself?"_

"_That's easy for you to say! How can I have confidence if I'm not strong to start with!?"_

"_Takamura Redfox!" Totomaru snaps, cracking the cane on the desk for emphasis. "If I know one thing, it's that you belong to the best guild to learn the thing that you need! Tell me, son of Gajeel, what is the most important thing to becoming stronger?"_

"_Love. Everyone always says that the power of the bonds within our guild are the most important thing. But… it's so easy to say that! I don't understand what that means!"_

"_Tell me, when is a man at his strongest?"_

"_I don't know! You're the teacher! Tell me!"_

_Totomaru nods sagely. "A man is at his strongest when…"_

**===]Nashi Dragneel[===**

The flame parts before it can strike me. It's parting because there's someone standing in the way, blocking the inferno's path. It's Tacks! His body is wreathed with an alabaster flame, his outstretched palm consuming the Hydra's fire.

_A man is strongest when he has something to protect!_

The Hydra stops breathing flame, clearly surprised. I'm in agreement. I've only seen Tack's white flame a handful of times before. Even Totomaru and Romeo were never able to do that. In fact, it was considered to be only theoretical. But Tacks learned how to use script magic to bind the seven flames together into one, all-powerful flame. A flame that Ignale – not even dad – can eat.

"Style of the White Flame: Heaven's Wrath!" The Hydra ignites with the white flames, rearing and bucking as it is seared. It rolls over, seemingly trying to extinguish the flame. "The white flame is holy-attributed magic. It only burns what the user wills and cannot be extinguished."

For a moment, I thought that Tacks was planning on killing the Hydra. But I can see that the flames aren't burning all of it. One of her heads is untouched by the flame. Once the other eight are reduced to ash, Tacks ends the flame. The flame around him warms from the cold white to warm red. He charges forward, and I swear that for a moment, I could see a form in the flames.

But… no, it's too silly. I must be imagining it.

"Style of the Red Flame: Iron Fist!" A brutal upward fist slams into the last head's jaw. Her eyes roll back and the Hydra slumps over, unconscious. I know what Tacks is thinking. He doesn't like killing things, but this poor beast is under someone else's control. It seems cruel to kill her when it's not her fault that she's here. I wonder how many of our friends will be so kind.

"Uwah! You were so cool!" I gush, clapping my hands together. He looks at me and blushes, before turning to look into the sky. Three Manticores are sweeping down on leathery wings. Fire blazes around his fist once more.

"Two down, a hundred more to go." 

**===Author's Note===**

**It's kind of weird that people ship my OCs, but there you go. Tacks X Nashi. Tashi. Nacks. Whatever. I realise that Nashi didn't do anything here, but this chapter was about Tacks, not her. I promise that she's not a do-nothing-Sakura and you'll see her ultimate spell. **

**It's a point that's come up before, but Tacks doesn't use magic like his parents. I wanted him to be different, and since Totomaru was friends with Gajeel, that's where I took his magic from. In particular, the 'Iron Fist' is a dual reference to Natsu's technique of the same name, and Tack's dad, Gajeel.**

**And Hydras can regrow heads, so don't worry too much!**

**===Replies to Reviews===**

**SakuraIchigoDark: **Yep, Lucy.

**Fire Girl 108:** I just felt that he had to 'meet' Makarov.

**True Story:** Umm… okay?


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